


Underground

by Arty11



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 13:55:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 45,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15753066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arty11/pseuds/Arty11
Summary: It isn’t all over. It never will be, memories and people live on. No one can go through war and come out unscathed. Ignores epilogue and cursed child.Includes alcohol abuse, drugs, overdose, graphic violence, some sex, some dubious consent from the start,





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First upload so it’s not great but hopefully entertains a few people. All feedback welcome. I only write to stave off boredom. It’s my story, but all characters remain JK Rowling’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First upload so it’s not great but hopefully entertains a few people. All feedback welcome. I only write to stave off boredom. It’s my story, but all characters remain JK Rowling’s.
> 
> Thankyou ever so much to Hrrobinette for being a wonderful beta- this is a new and improved chapter with her brilliant guidance

Chapter 1

The blonde wizard angrily paced back and forth across the office floor, his black robes flying out behind him as he turned each time. You didn’t need to be an expert to read his body language. Pure rage was dripping from every movement. His posture hostile. His movements angry and jerky. His grey eyes were full of fire, looking everywhere but at the man sitting peacefully at the desk, watching him with an expression of mild interest.

This man was decidedly calmer and almost certainly in control to an outside observer. His demeanour was one of power, strength, and dependability. He waited a moment before speaking in his calm, measured voice.

‘I can see you’re angry, Mr Malfoy, and it is only fair to assign another auror to your case. I can only apologise again for the conduct of those supposedly representing the Ministry. Believe me, Miss Fincham will be dealt with appropriately. However, I cannot sanction your request for Miss Granger to take over care of your monthly meetings. For a start, she’s not an auror.’ The man waited for a moment whilst the pacing blond stopped and looked at him, and considered his words.

‘You can. You won’t,’ Draco snapped back and resumed his pacing. He normally wouldn’t speak to the Minister of Magic in such a manner, but his minimal trust in the Ministry do-gooders had been completely and irrevocably broken. He was so furious that he frankly didn’t care. If the war that ended two years ago had done anything to him, it had been to release his temper from its normally well-controlled box. Angry outbursts were common but this one, at least, was justified.

‘She remains in a junior position and she’s not an auror, Mr Malfoy.But…in a small way, you’re right, of course,’ the man added.

Draco’s head snapped up.

The Minister held up his hand to stop Draco’s rebuttal. ’you’re right, I won’t. Whilst she is eminently capable and able to ensure correct procedure is followed, and I trust her sincerity, this situation is not within her jurisdiction. It will raise questions, someone from another department taking over your monthly checks. I’m sure you’re keen to avoid more suspicion and spotlight, as am I. Although, just one question, why Miss Granger specifically? I had the feeling you were on less than favourable terms?’

Kingsley peered at him over the desk, the Minister’s words reminding Draco of the bitter argument Granger and he had three weeks prior. He’d come in for his wand check and bumped into her in the hall. They’d spent their return year at Hogwarts studiously ignoring each other. Although he’d ignored pretty much everyone to be fair. Right now though, he wished he hadn’t. He wouldn’t be in this mess if he hadn’t distanced himself from everyone and fallen back into lonely traps.

Malfoy fell back to pacing. It had to be her. Had to. He needed her and this opportunity had been conveniently given to him when his assigned auror had royally fucked up.

He thought about his words carefully, displaying the right amount of emotion because it had to be Granger this time. If all else failed, he’d have to push for Potter, he presumed. That thought filled him with dread. Eventually Malfoy spoke.

‘Because I hate her. Because it will inconvenience her. Because she’s one of the only few I can trust to do it right and not fuck up everything. And because she’ll know and believe the truth and won’t spread lies for her own gain. Granger abhors the media more than me. Hewitt spread malicious rumours that ended three of our businesses. Three. The money doesn’t bother me, but the wizards who worked for these companies were a little bothered by their positions suddenly disappearing. Then Fincham. She sold me out to the highest bidder. If Granger even considered that, at least she’d sell the truth, not the jumped-up version that bitch sold to the Prophet.’

Malfoy sighed and sat down abruptly on the chair opposite the desk. He’d been invited to sit when he arrived but had refused. The chair was a tall, hard seat, not particularly comfortable but he sat and felt a calmness overcome him anyway. He was tired, so tired. It was late at night and he’d been skulking around the shadows for the last ten days after the story had come out to avoid photographers. To avoid anyone with an opinion. 

The story sold to The Prophet by his supposed Ministry confidante, the auror, charged with checking in on him every month had been front page news. She’d told them about finding Draco unconscious in his bedroom after he’d failed to show for a meeting, a pill pot by his side. Truthfully, he’d misjudged the muggle pain pills and would have come round the following morning. The ones he took for his daily physical pain hadn’t knocked him out like the muggle ones did. He hadn’t even taken the strongest dosage that night. Of course, the pills had been confiscated and his mother had the house elves search his room every night. He desperately needed out of the manor but until his father croaked, he had no real money of his own and his probation ended no place to go. Even in Azkaban, the bastard controlled Draco’s life and now the Ministry was wading in again. He was worried they’d get too meddlesome. Draco couldn’t afford them interfering, yet. He’d had enough.

‘Did the prophet really paint you in such a bad light? It was almost somewhat tragic. It may garner you some support’.

‘Don’t try that. ‘Addicted to pain pills. Abusing pain potions. Can’t control myself.’ They insinuated that I attempted to take my own life. Gleefully painting me as a coward and that death was nothing more than I deserved. I am not a coward. I’ve faced up to my actions. I’ve been punished. I want to be left alone. I deserve a little privacy. This publicity has hit my business hard’ Draco replied fiercely.

Kingsley considered him a moment. His was a strange case. Hermione and Harry had stood up for Malfoy at trial, gone against the Wizengamot, who still couldn’t forgive Malfoy’s part in the death of Albus Dumbledore despite Harry’s testimony to the contrary. Draco Malfoy was a sullen boy, who’d taken his punishment in stride. He seemed to continue to be dogged by bad luck and reputation and truth be told Kingsley felt a little bit sorry for him.

‘I understand. Still, I cannot sanction Miss Granger,’ Kingsley said.

‘But why?’ Draco jumped in petulantly, pouting like the child. Kingsley suspected he still was a child in some ways.

Malfoy saw his chance slipping away. It was a slim one to be fair but a chance, all the same. ‘What will it take? Gold? I have plenty.’ He offered, racking his brain to think of something else. Draco was starting to get desperate as he saw his chance slipping away.

‘I don’t accept bribery, Mr Malfoy. Unlike my predecessors, precious metals don’t interest me. Doing the right thing does. Somewhere, deep down, I see and understand your reasoning, so I’ll make you an offer as recompense. I trust my intuition and your desperation is telling me there’s a deeper reason so I shall trust in this. I’ll put it to Miss Granger and let her decide. If she agrees, then fine, she can continue your monthly checks. In return, you leave sole punishment of Fincham to the Ministry. If not, then it’s an auror of my choosing, at a place and time of my choosing for your checks, but you can negotiate Fincham’s punishment’ Kingsley offered.

‘Deal. That wasn’t so hard was it?’ Draco snapped, taking the deal quickly before the Minister went back on his exceptionally good offer. He didn’t care about Fincham and it threw the opportunity he needed his way. Draco stood, hoping to get this over with and back to the Manor.

‘You seem confident she’ll agree’ Kingsley stated, raising an eyebrow. 

Malfoy went to leave, nothing more to say. He got to the door, turned round, and said with confidence before sweeping out.’Gryffindor do-gooder with more curiosity than Skeeter. Of course she’ll agree’.

***  
Hermione entered the cafe, looked around cautiously while shaking the rain from her curls. Bloody Kingsley and his strange request last week. She hadn’t initially wanted to do it . She thought once School was over she wouldn’t see Malfoy again but curiosity got the better of her. She was intrigued to see what he was like now and why he’d specifically requested her. Hermione should have turned it down but since she and Ron broke up after her last year at Hogwarts, she didn’t have much to occupy her evenings and she was intrigued. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt work-wise. She was ambitious after all. She’d read the Prophet article on Malfoy with disgust. It was full of inaccuracies and suggestive content. There was no real certainty Malfoy had intentionally overdosed and so she’d agreed to this. Although now that it came to actually meeting him, Hermione was deeply regretting her decision. They always fought on sight. She couldn’t help it as he antagonised her given every opportunity. But she shared a little sympathy with having every detail of your life in the press and she needed to give Malfoy a chance. Maybe it would be different. They could stop hanging onto teenage prejudices and treat each other like adults.

It was late, very late, and Malfoy’d chosen an all-night muggle greasy spoon cafe of all places to meet. A rough one too, and similar to the one Rowle and Dolphov had found Harry, Ron, and Hermione in just after Bill and Fleur’s wedding. Sighing, Hermione gripped her wand tighter in her pocket and muttered again under her breath. Asking herself why she had agreed to this before dragging up her Gryffindor courage from the bottom of her boots.

Hermione quickly spotted Malfoy, sitting in a booth to one side of the cafe. She’d recognise that hair anywhere, but his posture was slack, leaning over a cup of coffee in a polystyrene mug. He swirled the sugar stick round and round, seeming dejected, a little bit lost.

‘About bloody time Granger’ Draco muttered slightly slurring as she approached.

Maybe not lost then. Hermione sighed and slid into the booth opposite him but didn’t look at him or make eye contact. Instead, she started taking some things from her bag. She could smell the booze permeating from Malfoy’s side of the booth. He looked less polished than she’d expected.

Hermione busied herself looking at her papers that she’d dug out. ‘It took me a while to get here’ She started apologising but cut off as she looked at him. ‘Malfoy, you look like crap,’ she remarked, taking in his sunken eyes and unbridled hair.

‘I didn’t ask for you to do this so you could comment on my appearance,’ he replied steadily as she cut in quickly ‘why did you?’

‘I… I have my reasons. Shall we get on with it? I don’t want to be here forever’.

‘Seeing as you asked for me to do this. I’ll do it properly,’ she snapped officiously, rustling her papers ‘Commenting on your appearance is one of the questions.’

‘Here?’ He asked wide-eyed.

‘Believe it or not, even muggleborns can do magic. Quite simple, a silencing charm and a Notice Me Not. No one will see. And you picked the place,’ she retorted before relenting to her softer side. ‘Are you okay? Really?’ She asked gently, compassion for her former schoolmate winning over the hatred. 

He really must look bad, Draco thought before replying.  
‘I don’t need your pity Granger. I need you to ask the questions, write the answers, and leave’. His tone was short and standoffish. He looked everywhere but at her.

‘Well, if you’re going to be like that, I at least need coffee,’ Hermione snapped, getting up and heading to the counter. She didn’t offer to get him anything he noticed, not that he’d have accepted anyway. Draco lay his head down on the table and closed his eyes. It was late and the firewhiskey was wearing off. And those other things he took, the muggle pills Blaise had he’d stolen from his stepfather, they took the edge off the numerous Cruciatus curses he’d endured. He’d need some more of those soon; they only kept the pain at bay so long.

Draco was rudely awaken by a cup of coffee slamming down on the table in front of him. Brown liquid sloshed over the sides as Granger slumped back in the seat opposite him. He looked up slowly, and forced himself to sit up.

‘I didn’t ask for anything’, he spat, pushing the mug away.

‘Thank you is usually the polite reply. Consider it a peace offering. You look like you need it.’ Hermione told him, putting her papers away. He watched her take a sip of her coffee as she finished tidying and turned to look at him. She looked tired too, he thought. There were faint bruises under her eyes and her unruly hair was wilder than usual. Her clothes were creased like she’d been in them a while. 

Draco met her gaze. ‘What gives, Granger?’ He asked, confused as to why the usually bookish and rule-obeying swot wasn’t doing things by the book.

‘I know all the questions. I’ll answer them when I get home. We’re adults, Malfoy. We need to stop fighting. If I ask you these now, we’ll devolve into fighting. I’m tired of fighting,’ she replied sadly, taking another sip of coffee. Her expression of pure bliss told him that she needed the caffeine pick-me-up as much as he did right now. Draco remembered she’d never been much of a coffee drinker at school, preferring pumpkin juice but he guessed her year on the run changed that. He certainly drank a lot. It was one of the few things that had kept him alive. A sip of coffee gave you time to think before replying without seeming rude so he used that trick now. He needed to keep his temper in check.

‘What happened to doing it properly?’ He asked scornfully.

In reply, she held out her hand. ‘Wand?’ She asked. 

Draco reluctantly got it out and hesitated before handing the wand over. He hated someone else touching his wand as all wizards did but this felt particularly gruelling.

Hermione held it in one hand, her own in her other, and muttered a few incantations. His wand vibrated then sat still. ‘Fine,’ she said, handing it back. 

He raised his eyebrows at her. ‘What was that?’ He asked, all hostility forgotten for a moment in his surprise.

‘A spell I’ve been working on. Diagnostics. Ollivander helped me. Essentially, Priori Incantatem but instead, the images play in my head. It glows red if dark magic has been used’ She allowed herself a small smile at his shocked face.‘No need to look so surprised,’ she said smugly, drinking some more coffee.

‘Why the fuck couldn’t the last bitch have done that, instead of dragging me into the Ministry every month?’ He snapped out the question.

‘The spell is still in the process of becoming Ministry approved. I trust it though’.

‘Of course you do, you bloody invented it’.

‘Really, Malfoy. Be pleased you’re stuck with me for the next nine months. After all, you asked for me and it must have been persuasive for Kingsley to even consider it,’ she said.

‘Stuck with me for a year ’ he replied automatically.

‘Nine months, Draco. Your last check will be in front of the Wizengamot in June. Then you’re free,’ she said, finishing her coffee.  
‘Never free,’ he muttered, his hand going instinctively to his left arm.

‘You’re not the only one,’ Hermione replied, standing up.  
‘November first…same time, same place,’ she said.

‘Wait, how do I trust what you’ve written?’ Draco asked.

‘You trusted me to do it properly, so you just have to,’ she replied and walked out.


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter updated following the wonderful work of beta hrrobinette- thank you for making my scrawl entirely readable.

Harry, smiling, stuck his head round Hermione’s cubicle door at lunch the next day, hoping to catch her in a good mood. Hermione glanced up from her work and gestured for him in to sit down in the chair opposite her before turning back to her parchment and scribbling furiously. Harry knew better than to interrupt her. He’d only done it once and the stinging hex took twelve hours to calm. He waited until she stopped writing and looked up at him properly before speaking.

‘How did it go with Malfoy last night?’ He asked his friend, watching her reaction closely. He thought she was crazy and Ron hadn’t spoken to her for a week when he found out she’d all but volunteered to help Malfoy. But both were coming round, especially when Hermione’d appeared in Grimmauld Place’s kitchen unharmed after last night’s meeting with Malfoy. She’d been exhausted so she’d barely acknowledged them and gone straight home to bed after a terse ‘It was fine.’

‘One down. Nine more to go,’ she replied, tidying her paperwork with a flick of her wand as Harry shifted gingerly in the seat opposite her desk. It wasn’t the most comfortable chair. In fact, it was downright ugly but it was pretty much only Ron and Harry who ever sat there. Not often did Hermione have visitors but she still liked to have the chair, just in case anyone stopped by. Very rarely, Luna would pop in but Hermione hadn’t seen her in a while. She made a mental note to owl her quirky friend as Harry replied. ‘That good eh?’

Hermione sighed and put down her quill. ‘You want the report or the truth?’ She asked him, knowing he wouldn’t settle until she’d told him everything.

‘Both.’ Harry was curious. He was surprised he hadn’t come across Malfoy yet but rumour was Malfoy was running an above-board potions business, as well as managing the family fortune. Harry’d thought about him a bit since Hermione had volunteered for this job and honestly, Harry couldn’t bring it in him to hate Malfoy anymore.

‘Report- he’s doing ok. No sign of anything untoward. His wand was clean as expected. In reality, he looks like shit. He’s drinking and his clothes were wrinkled and unkept. He needed a good wash too. And he was exhausted like he was fighting something. Malfoy wasn’t his usual insulting self. No mudblood slur thrown in there at all. This war was such a waste. So many able wizards withered, slaughtered, or lost so much.’ She finished angrily, her eyes blazing.

‘Hey, it’s okay. It takes time, Hermione.’

Harry knew what she meant underneath her rant. Hermione was often incapacitated by nightmares and she still had the mudblood scar visible on her arm. She wore it proudly for the most part, but every now and then, Hermione’d be transported back to the war, the battle, and the aftermath. She hadn’t dealt particularly well. It was taking a long time for her to find her place again.  
Harry decided to cheer her up a bit. He turned toward the door, locking and silencing it. Hermione looked at him expectantly.  
‘We got another lead today. We’re close.’ He grinned as Hermione squealed a high pitch yell, a bit of her normal self returning.  
‘Who? Where? What is it? What’s happening?’ She asked, bouncing up and down, all melancholy forgotten.

‘That was a quick change in spirits. Really can’t tell you anything though.’ Harry teased.

‘Harry!’ She exclaimed. ‘You can’t do that to me.’ Hermione was fuming. Harry was being unfair by leaving out all the details. 

‘Oh, and I’m going to ask Ginny to marry me.’ Harry added nonchalantly, standing up as if to leave.

‘Harry James Potter!’ Hermione shouted at him as both of them grinned from ear to ear. Harry was glad he’d silenced the room. 

Hermione jumped up and hugged him tight, tears forming in her eyes.

‘I haven’t told Ron. He’s coming by to see Ginny tonight. I thought I might catch him then, but I had to tell someone. I’m taking her out tomorrow for the day so I shall do it then.’ Harry told her, his fingers shaking slightly as he pushed his glasses back on his nose.

Hermione hugged him again, laughing. All work forgotten. ‘Come on,’ she said impulsively, grabbing her things. ‘Let’s go out for lunch.’

Harry readily agreed, thinking of his measly sandwich waiting on him back at his desk and followed her out.

They chatted about last night’s meeting with Malfoy. Hermione filled Harry in on all the details whilst heading up and out the Ministry building into Muggle London. Hermione was much more like herself than usual and for that, Harry was glad. He hoped Ginny wouldn’t mind he’d told Hermione his plans first but he’d been desperate to talk to someone about it for ages. He had never seemed to find the right time. It was his last chance after all before he plucked up the courage for the next day.

***  
Draco woke the next morning with a hangover to kill all hangovers. After meeting Hermione, he’d gone home and opened another bottle of firewhiskey, then sat drinking it alone, stumbling up to bed in the early hours of the morning.

Just for fun, he’d been back into the sealed drawing room, reliving the horrors of that night. It had been a while since he’d been in there, but seeing Granger again dug up memories. The firewhiskey thought it had been a good idea to confront them. 

Draco’d flown back to that night and to what had happened. The night so vivid in his imagination. Him refusing to identify Potter. Granger tortured, then all of them escaping with Dobby no less.  
Voldemort’s wrath had been a sight to behold. It was the first time Draco had seen the Dark Lord lose it with Bella. If Draco hadn’t been terrified witless, he’d have laughed at witnessing his aunt in trouble and tortured after all she’d done. But the fact was, he was already a screw-up and then, by association, had been there that night at the manor. It meant he had been more afraid than ever during that night and was lucky to survive relatively unscathed.

The memories fading, Draco’d thrown and smashed the glass on the marble floor. He’d dropped the bottle he’d taken with him but refused to let the tears fall. He’d sealed the room up again and left, his resolve stronger. Unfortunately, his mother had found out later that morning and had not been happy to say the least. Draco needed to put the memories back in his box, deep in his mind. Close it down. He wasn’t an accomplished occlumens for no reason. It had saved him so many times and he needed to keep the shields up. He had to. It was too risky to let anyone else see.

***  
Harry laughed at Hermione’s impression of Gulav, a work experience student from Durmstrang. Part of a new initiator by the newly formed Office of Magical Relations, students from  
the top wizarding schools were able to enter wizarding experience programmes. She’d taken him under her wing as a favour to Victor, Gulav was his younger cousin. She had his accent spot-on and was imitating a joke he’d told that afternoon.

‘It’s good to see you laugh.’ Harry stated as she finished. Hermione suddenly looked downcast and he cursed himself for speaking.

‘Just haven’t felt like laughing lately’. She muttered, not making eye contact with him.

Harry thought carefully. He didn’t want his friend getting angry at him and blowing off in a fit of temper like she had before. Hermione interrupted his thoughts before he could speak again.

‘I know you care, and you all mean well, and are concerned. I’m sorry, so sorry. I just need time and space, I guess. It hurts…hurts so much.’ Hermione breathed out the words as if she were in physical pain.

Harry’s heart broke for her. Of them all, Hermione had had the most problems adjusting in the aftermath of the war. He had Ginny to help him through the hard times. They’d pretty much been inseparable since she’d finished Hogwarts and they lent on each other. Ron had his family. Hermione…she has no one and lived alone. Her choice, he remembered. Harry’d offered for her to move in with him, but she didn’t wanted to. He could see her falling apart in front of him, but was powerless to stop it.

‘I know I drink too much, but I’ve cut back. I promise. It numbs the pain when it gets too much. I promise it’s less. I’ll try and come to you first. I’ll try.’ The desperation in her voice wrenched Harry’s gut.

Hermione was meek and honest and he was thankful for that. Harry grabbed her hands over the table. ‘You know we love you. We all love you. If you can’t talk to me, then Ron or Ginny . Maybe Molly or George? Anyone. I don’t want to find you like I found you last week.’

Hermione’s cheeks redden in humiliation as she remembered. She’d drunk too much at a party and ended up going home with Zacharias Smith of all people. Harry, worried, had followed her. She was embarrassed but so grateful when he’d interrupted them on the sofa. Zacharias was taking what he could get from Hermione at the time. He claimed he thought she wasn’t that drunk. The fact she could barely stand had given away her condition and Harry had banished him pretty quick. Hermione’d been fuming at Harry and sent him off. But in reality, she had been thankful in the morning. They hadn’t spoken of the incident since.

‘Want to talk about it?’

‘What’s to talk about? I drank too much. Made some stupid decisions, ‘only the boy who lived saved me once again.’’ Hermione joked but the humor fell flat.

‘It’s usually you who saves me. Well, except for blasting apart my wand. Was pretty cut up about that one. Another few years, I might forgive you.’ Harry’s face lit up in a boyish grin and Hermione couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Okay, okay. You’ve got me out of some tight holes recently. I really am trying. I think I need a new focus. I might go for that law job. This thing with Malfoy- I don’t like chasing Dark Wizards but it is more interesting than what I’ve been doing. I think my wand detection spell is all but there. The spell work is focussing me more, reminding me why I did what I did’. Hermione stopped and peered over at Harry.

‘Do it. You don’t need my blessing. Do it. My Gods, we need your brains right now.’ Harry squeezed her hand encouragingly and Hermione laughed. ‘Move in Mione, please?’ He asked, chancing it once again. 

Hermione thought for a moment before replying. She really has considered it but didn’t want to feel a third wheel. ‘Baby steps, Harry. I’m getting there. I need my space, my muggle space. It feels like they could still be here then.’

Harry nodded, took a deep breath and stood. He pulled her into a tight hug. Harry didn’t need to say anything. He knew the pain that still existed, the anguish and the guilt she felt obliviating her own parents. He’d seen them, it was too painful for her and so he’d headed to Australia to check in on them and constantly tried to reassure her they were fine. He’d pulled some strings at the Australian Ministry and received monthly reports, but it didn’t diminish her guilt anymore. On some level he understood, he too had been the reason for the loss of his parents but this was her hand, her magic and the pain she’d buried for the first couple of years was ever growing as she struggled to come to terms with it. His parents were dead. Hers were very much alive. They just didn’t know who she was.


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: alcohol abuse, dubious consent.
> 
> Updated Oct 18. This should read much better now the wonderful beta Hrrobinette

It was freezing outside and snow fell to the ground as Draco made to leave the hotel where he’d had his business meeting. He thought about her on the way down to the lobby. Muggle things always made him think of her. It had been four months since he’d started seeing Hermione for his meetings, the last one just after New Year, three weeks ago. 

This January night was bitter, bleak with the post Christmas depression that hit as shop windows morphed back into dreary displays. Or worse, bright and happy fake displays that do little to dispel the sadness now that the frivolity and romance of Christmas was packed away for another year. Draco shrugged into his Muggle outercoat he’d transfigured before shutting the door on the room he’d been in, and quickly headed out into the cold. He fancied a walk, a bit of a stroll after that meeting to clear his head. No way was he wearing his robes out. Although, Draco thought wryly, around here anything goes and he’d seen some strange outfits in his time around this part of London. He often went for a walk after business meetings and this meeting had been particularly taxing. 

Draco followed his usual route across London and headed towards an apparition point. He didn’t know why, but something made Draco turn and go along the main muggle high street, a route he rarely travelled. He shrugged and wandered on, not paying attention to the world and allowed his mind to wonder.  
His thoughts went back to his business meeting immediately as he strolled along. Fat lot of good that meeting was. It gave his colleagues a chance to jeer at the fallen Death Eater with no one watching. Draco’d had a few encounters like that but some deep-down-dogged determination engulfed him and he kept climbing back up again out of the gutter. It was where the so called ‘light’ side kept forcing him into. Half of them hadn’t even bloody fought in the war but they blamed him for their losses. Draco’d lost people too, but they didn’t see him attacking those who associated with the Order. Those in the Order in the war who killed his aunt. Granted, she was crazy but still dead. Crabbe, well, his death was his own fault but he still died. Draco even lost the bloody house elf who’d brought him up. It had been a shock seeing Dobby that day, on top of everything else then months later Potter just dropped the fact he’d died into conversation and he couldn’t show a reaction. 

The biggest loss of all was his father. Not physically, the elder Malfoy was rotting in Azkaban. Draco hoped he was actually rotting. Lucius was lost to him forever even though his father was still living. Somehow, that was worse. Dead, Draco could imagine his father to be who he wanted to be. But alive, Lucius was a constant reminder of what Draco had never had. Not that the blond thought of his father much anymore. He was of age now. His inheritance was his and he’d get the rest when his dear old dad finally withered away into nothingness. 

Draco sighed. It’s not like he needed to work. Even after all the Ministry fines, the Malfoy coffers were still abundant. Draco liked the distraction work provided at times. Although situations like now, it hardly seemed worth the bother, worth the pain. Meetings like the one today, where he was scorned, abused, and laughed at for daring to hope things would get better, were the norm. Productive meetings were increasing as his reputation slowly regained, but the respect he craved was not there. 

Draco flicked his hair out his eyes and kept walking. He was anonymous in Muggle Britain, hence why he spent so much time there. He could walk freely without prejudice. No one knew him here or knew who he had been. He felt free. The war had ended but the prejudice and attitudes were only hidden now, bubbling under the surface. They’d swung the other way now and not to where Draco was once considered a person of power. Now he’d lost everything. Not that he wanted that life anymore or believed those things. 

Draco didn’t often pass this way but something in his brain told him to walk in this direction. Nargles, he mused, thinking back to Loony Lovegood’s ramblings and her ridiculous predictions. But she also had the chilling ability to say what he was thinking. She’d replayed his thoughts to him more than once in sixth year and the memory had suddenly come from nowhere. Draco shivered at the memory of that horrible time. Not only a teenager and dealing with all that hormone crap, but he was also a teenager and a death eater plotting to kill one of the greatest wizards of all time. No wonder Draco was so messed up now. Fuck I need a drink, he thought but he’d promised his mother he’d stay dry for a while. Three long bloody months but he’d done it. 

Draco wandered down the street, peering in the late night cafes and watching the muggle specimens as they threw up their overindulgence. His desire for spirits lessened a little.  
His thoughts turned to the muggles he watched. Having spent so much time around them lately, Draco’d worked out there was a hierarchy in the muggle world too. The clientele in this particular area were not the most salubrious, a bit like most of the inhabitants of Knockturn Alley. He’d been walking just shy of an hour. Draco listened as Big Ben chimed midnight, wondering when he’d head home. Five hours he’d been stuck in that hotel room, lambasted by that fat fucker who thought too much of himself anyway. He’d played Draco well, led him on until the very last minute. 

They’d hashed out a deal and at the last minute, the man had sat back in his chair and laughed. ‘Draco, me boy, as if I’d actually do business with you,” the fucker said and laughed. The man flicked his wand, tied Draco to a chair, and spent an hour listing all of Draco’s faults. 

Draco’d finally got free around eleven, by which time he’d been thoroughly hexed, abused, and insulted. Not that that fuck had been able to punch hard, Draco thought ruefully. Servitude to the Dark Lord had taught him a few wandless tricks. Nothing illegal or too dark. Plus, Draco’s legilimency was actually better now. Once he’d reversed the scene, he’d had his own fun. 

Draco had not been inside anyone’s mind in ages, but he’d made an exception. A good root around and had some good blackmail material if he ever tried to seek recompense for the way Draco had left him. A bit of showy magic to get out his bonds and he was off from the muggle hotel, the fat old fucker left handcuffed to the bed. The handcuffs had been transfigured from his clothes so when he was found he’d have nothing to wear, his wand left tantalisingly out of reach. 

Draco shivered, pulled his cloak tighter, and reminded himself of the lateness of the hour. He liked the cold though even though it chilled his bones. It reminded him of the only place that had ever held happy memories for him. Granted, there weren’t many. Hogwarts in winter had been magnificent. Snowball fights. The one at the shrieking shack had been fun until Potter had shown up to rescue the Weasley git and Granger. 

Draco’s mind jumped to the girl he’d taunted through school and the woman now who’d grown into an impressive witch. He was rather enjoying catching up with Granger every month. She wasn’t what he’d expected. At first she’d been efficient like he’d predicted, then fucked it all off and relaxed. This is when she began doing her own thing. She’d been overcompensating, so bloody thorough that it drove him insane. The third meeting she was drunk, although he could hardly complain as he set the times extremely late as that suited him better. It’s not like Draco slept much anyway so he didn’t think about how late it was for her. He hadn’t realised that she’d have to come straight from a Ministry party, but she’d waved off his apologies saying she was glad of an excuse to get away.

The last meeting, Draco’d made earlier but still she’d been distant, jumpy, and extremely pale. He’d actually been a bit concerned but had beaten that thought down quickly. Fucking goody-two-shoes Gryffindor Princess, who everyone thought the sun shone out her arse didn’t deserve his concern. But still, Grander’d appeared human, somewhat broken, he thought as a mop of curly hair caught his eye through the window. 

Oh, for fuck’s sake, he swore to himself. Granger’s invading all my thoughts now, Draco thought as he turned, taking in the scene in front of him and not liking what he saw. Draco reacted quickly, storming in through the door and snatching up the girl that sat at the table.

‘Get your filthy hands off her.’ Draco snarled and the dirty muggle sat opposite Hermione shrank back slightly at his ferocity. ‘Granger, get up.’ Draco commanded just as the muggle found a voice. 

‘She’s mine mate, I saw her first.” The man slurred.

Draco managed to pull Hermione up this time as she was off her head drunk and was disoriented, barely able to move. He slipped his hand in his pocket and grabbed his wand. Granger’s eyes rolled in her head and he pulled her in tight to him, breathing in a slight vanilla scent as he did so. She felt tiny in his arms.

‘Make me.’ Draco snarled, glaring at the man who stood up, but then quickly thought better of it and backed up. Draco had a good four inches on the man and wasn’t drunk. Draco practically dragged Hermione out of the cafe and down the road, marching furiously to get them away quickly before slowing his pace. He didn’t loosen the tight grip on her hand. The cold air seemed to sober up Granger somewhat. At least enough that she started to take more of her own weight and she seemed to come round almost completely. 

‘What the fuck, Granger?’ Draco shouted, turning to her toward him once they were clear and in open space. 

‘Get lost Malfoy.’ She slurred, trying to slip her hand away and wriggle from his grip. 

‘No fucking chance, Granger. You’re drunk as a skunk and that guy was feeling you up under the table. You’re not that loose. Where do you live?’ He asked sharply, holding her up again as her body sagged.

‘Fuck off Malfoy…don’t need you!’ She screamed as she pushed him, stumbling and falling over. 

‘Granger, I’m trying to help you for fuck’s sake. Be a good girl now.’ Draco purred against Hermione’s ear.

She shivered in spite herself and not from the cold. ‘Go back to your ditch, Malfoy. I’m fine.’ She stumbled again but he held her tightly so she didn’t fall.

‘Granger, I’d love go back to my ditch, which for the record is a giant mansion, but I have inconveniently developed somewhat of a conscience. Now, I’m assuming you don’t want me to get the Weasel. I won’t be able to find Potter or Weaselette, Looney is out the country and we’re not going to Hogwarts. So, it falls to me to drag your sorry arse home. Don’t worry, I’m sure you can re- charm the wards once I’ve gone.’

‘Your fucking mansion is why I’m like this. Fuck off back to your luxury.’ She slurred the sentence and didn’t look at Draco but beyond him at nothing in particular. 

‘Granger…’ Draco started then added ‘Hermione’ as he pleaded for her to calm. He noticed a muggle policeman coming towards them and pulled her into his side again, plastering a smile on his face. To give the man his due, Granger had been fighting him so the scene did look bad. But for once, he was actually being the good guy and he didn’t need the authorities interfering.

Oh bugger, what did they call them. Not auror, sir? Would that do? Sounds like their army, officer, that’s it, Draco thought.

‘Evening Officer,’ he said politely as Hermione stood stock still then cuddled close into Draco’s side, hiding her face as she noticed who he was talking to. Interesting, Draco thought. Even though she hated him, Granger’d rather be with him than a muggle police officer. What had she been doing? He mused as the police officer spoke. 

‘Is everything ok, Miss?’ 

The officer’s partner loomed out in the darkness, an imposing figure who looked like he could snap Malfoy in two. 

Malfoy gulped and carefully put his hand in his pocket. ‘Just an argument with my fiancé, officer.’

‘Other women.’ Hermione mumbled at him, dropping Draco’s arm and promptly vomited on the sidewalk. 

‘For God’s sake woman, she accosted me.’ Draco snarled, playing along with Hermione’s ruse and holding her hair back all at the same as she spewed everywhere once again. For fuck’s sake. Do a good turn and get vomit all over your brand new shoes he thought but didn’t stop him smoothing her hair back and stroking her back.

‘Well, we won’t be keeping you. Seems she needs to go home now,’ the policeman said sternly and nodded at Draco. 

‘I’m bloody trying!’ He shouted at the man. ‘Gr-Hermione, Love.’ He spat the last word. ‘Home time.’

Draco pulled her away and thankfully she followed. ‘For God’s sake, Granger, what do I do now? I’d take you to my home but I doubt you’d want to go there. I’m doing enough already as it is.’ He muttered, pulling her along beside him. Draco thought there was an apparition point up ahead. They were near the Thames now.

‘Patronus.’ She muttered. 

Draco scowled. Of course. Conjure a patronus. Why hadn’t he thought of that? Oh yeah, he knew why. ‘I’m an ex-dark wizard, Hermione. A patronus isn’t my thing.’ He replied sarcastically. 

‘You’re clever enough.’ She retorted, launching over to a bush and vomiting again. This time, there was no one around so he scourgified her and himself, then carried on walking. 

‘Fine. If you won’t tell me where you live then it’s either mine or St. Mungo’s? Or I can drop you back to your “friend?” He was angry that I retrieved you.’ Draco was getting fed up, but he knew this was not the Granger he knew. It would be dangerous to leave her, especially now. Just because the light side was in control and Voldemort was gone, that didn’t mean she wasn’t still hated and targeted. In her current state, a death would be easy to fake. Draco shuddered. ‘Granger, you will fucking die if I leave you now. Make your choice.’

‘What do you know?’ She looked at him quizzically. 

Damn her clever brain. Even drunk, it was always whirring miles ahead. ‘Sober up Granger. Now you have thirty seconds or I’m dumping the drunk and I’m guessing drugged Golden Girl loudly in St Mungo’s. I might even tell Skeeter to be there when we arrive.’ Draco threatened. 

‘Twelve Cornwall Street.’ She muttered. 

Finally he thought, looking around and quickly apparating them both outside her front door. Hermione clumsily pulled out her wand and muttered an incantation. 

‘Bugger,’ she said and did it again. Third time luckily, the door unlocked and she walked in.

‘Wait.’ She called as Draco went to follow. Hermione muttered a few more chants and turned to Draco. ‘It’ll let you in now.’ She gestured at him. He didn’t move, not understanding what she meant. ‘Your mark,’ she said waving vaguely at his arm. 

Draco clutched it instinctively as he crossed the doorway then dropped his hand again as if burnt. 

‘Said I’d let you in, not that you wouldn’t suffer.’ Hermione gestured maniacally, before relenting.

‘I brought you home, Granger. You don’t know how much danger you were in. They’re not all gone, you know.’ He snapped. 

‘I…I know.’ She whispered. 

Draco changed tack. ‘Where’s Potter? Or the she weasel?’ He asked, forcing his way past her into the kitchen. He filled up a glass with water. 

‘You a wizard?’ She asked, considering him from her viewpoint leaning against the door frame. 

‘Fuck off Granger. Drink the water.’ He snapped angrily. This was the thanks he got for helping the dumb witch. Draco waited a minute before asking. ‘What did you take?’

Hermione glared at him in reply. 

‘Granger, I’ve seen you drink in eighth year. You were paralytic after three Firewhiskeys. You’re not drunk now. What did you take?’ He asked again. 

‘Granger!’ Draco yelled, realising she’d fallen asleep standing up. He caught her just as she reached the floor. Draco picked her up, cursing her under his breath and carried her to the sofa. He wasn’t about to go exploring her flat for the bedroom even if she was out cold. Draco had just placed her down when her floo roared. Almost immediately, he felt his wand fly out of his hand. 

‘What the fuck are you doing, Malfoy? Get away from her!’ Potter roared. 

Draco found himself hurling through the air and he hit the wall with a thud. ‘Knight in shining armour.’ He taunted then grimaced as invisible ropes tightened around him. 

Hermione was still out cold on the sofa.

‘Let me down and I’ll explain.’ Draco grunted. ‘You’ve got my wand,’ he said pointedly, staring at Harry as the boy wonder refused to move. 

The floo roared again and the girl Weasley stepped through. Well, he guessed it was Potter too now although he wasn’t sure. 

‘Harry what- Hermione,’ Ginny said, rushing to her friend and dropping on her knees beside the sofa. 

‘She’s drugged,’ Draco said. ‘She was being groped by some disgusting muggle and I mean that literally, not the fact he was a muggle in a cafe. I debated leaving her but I need a decent ministry official to monitor me so I dragged her away.’ Draco filled them in. Almost immediately the bonds were released and he was unceremoniously dropped to the floor. 

‘We got this now. Her wards will be reinstated as soon as you leave so don’t think you can ever come back.’ Potter snarled, throwing Draco his wand back. 

‘What, easy as that?’ Draco asked, confused before realisation hit. ‘It’s not the first time, is it?’ He mused, although his revelation was met with silence. 

Potter glared at him. 

‘Keep her on a tighter leash, Potter. I’m not the one you have to worry about.’ Draco hoped Potter got his insinuation but it was Ginny who nodded. Harry was too busy running diagnostics over Hermione. ‘I’ll go then. No thanks or anything?’ He asked.

‘Fuck off back to your hole, Malfoy, or were you after some glory? Maybe a nice little write up in the Daily Prophet?’ Harry snapped. 

‘Watch it, Potter. I brought her here, didn’t I? When Granger wakes up, tell her I’ll see her next week.’ Draco swirled his cloak and stormed out, wishing he could hex Potter as he left. Aggravating bastard, but it wasn’t worth the fine. Knowing his luck, Draco’d be arrested and thrown in jail for attacking an auror. He found a safe place to apparate home and disappeared into the confines of the manor, heading straight to his study. For the first time in three months, Draco poured a large Firewhiskey.


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning; mention of alcohol abuse and dubious consent. 
> 
> Hope this is ok. Criticism always welcome.

Hermione slid into the booth as usual the next week but another flurry of movement caught his eye and Draco looked up surprised. 

‘When I said a tighter leash Potter, I meant figuratively not literally. As I said before, it’s not me you have to worry about’ he snarled. 

Harry just stared back, impassive. 

‘She’s here now, you can fuck off over there whilst we have our little chat then take her home’. 

He gestured over to the far corner of the restaurant with a lazy wave of his hand. Hermione just looked at him and he caught her eye. She looked scared, humiliated he thought, and angry, almost defiant and it wasn’t aimed at him. Interesting, she didn’t want her tag along.

‘I told you Harry, I can manage him’ she snapped. 

‘Like you did last week? I’ll get a drink. That’s all you get. What do you want Malfoy’ 

Harry turned to Malfoy although it sounded as if it pained him greatly to ask. 

‘Coffee, Black’ He replied as Harry reluctantly left. 

‘Not all rosy and bright then? Your bodyguard’s taking it a bit seriously’ Draco said to her. Hermione just glared at him before opening her mouth. 

‘Thank you’ he heard although it was barely more than a whisper. 

Draco just looked at her. ‘I, I won’t do it again’. She hung her head low, ashamed he guessed and he could just see tears forming although she was valiantly holding them back. 

‘What the hell was that?’ He asked, genuinely curious.

‘I don’t remember. Any of it. Harry told me you brought me home, and I should thank you’ she said shyly.

‘Fuck me, gratitude from two thirds of the golden trio’ he raised his eyebrows. 

She understood it as a challenge to carry on and started explaining. ‘It was a difficult day. I went out, got drunk and the next thing I know it’s twelve hours later and I’m on my bed with Ginny. I don’t remember anything in between’ she admitted, a blush raising up her cheeks. 

‘You were in a cafe I walked past. The muggle version of Knockturn Alley’s finest was feeling you up under the table, at least I hope that’s all it was. I dragged you out, wormed your address out of you and Potter appeared through the floo like your knight in shining armour’ 

She went more red than he could imagine as he finished explaining. 

‘I didn’t tell him much. I figured that’s your look out’ she glanced up at him as Harry reappeared. 

‘Thank you’ she repeated but more sincerely, sipping her tasteless coffee from its polystyrene cup that Harry had just placed down in front of her before sitting. She shuddered at the taste and he took the chance to have a proper look at her. She looked rough with huge bruises badly covered under her eyes and even more waif like than the week before. 

He turned to Potter, sending she maybe needed a moment to collect herself. ‘How did you know to come?’ Intrigue was outweighing his hatred for the man, but Hermione cut in.

‘I created a spell that alerts Harry if anyone enters my house. It sets off an alarm if it’s a dark mark’ 

She looked embarrassed as he just stared.

‘Th, fuck me Granger. That’s pretty impressive’. He stared at her for a beat, before adding quietly ‘Keep that’. Harry nodded in understanding. 

‘Enough, we have paperwork to do’ she snapped, pulling out her wand and casting muffliato and notice me not and whatever other protections she put up every time. This was their fifth meeting now so he was well versed in the routine. She’d put up enchantments, he’d hand his wand over, she’d quiz him on his activities and fill in the questions and then she’d leave as quick as she could although as she finished this time she stayed seated, looking at Harry. He in turn was glaring at Draco.

‘I’m guessing you want me to expand?’ 

He asked loosely, suddenly understanding why Harry was here. Harry nodded slowly as Hermione stared into her drink. 

‘This is off record?’ He asked. ‘For now. Depends Malfoy, if you incriminate yourself I won’t turn a blind eye’ he warned. 

‘What do you take me for?’ Malfoy snapped, rising out his chair. 

‘Well, you were pretty cosy to Voldemort once and did try to kill Albus Dumbledore, forgive me if I don’t trust you’ Harry deadpanned. 

‘Yes, and we’ve been through all that any number of times. Let it go. I can’t say too much, literally cannot say too much’ Draco replied, hinting. Harry caught on pretty quickly which surprised Draco. ‘You know unbreakable vows are illegal?’ He asked, raising his eyebrows at Draco who flopped back in his seat. 

‘Oh yes, and when you’re invited to take one at wand point the caster is likely to back down when you suggest to them an alternative because it’s illegal?’ Draco replied sarcastically. 

‘Continue’ 

was all Harry said, sitting back himself. 

‘Bound pretty tight Potter’ Draco replied, sighing at his stupidity ‘surely you know how these things work.

‘Ok, what do you know?’ He asked, trying again. 

‘Oh come on Potter, I credited you with a brain cell but it really all was Granger wasn’t it?’He asked as Harry slammed his fist on the table. 

‘Calm down, that temper. I’m here of my own will as my official business has finished’. 

Hermione cut in before they could devolve into fighting, ‘You told me to keep my enchantments. Is that because not all the former death eaters that haven’t been caught are in complete hiding?’. 

Draco nodded, glad she at least had brains. ‘You obviously can’t give us names, but you’ve seen them recently?’ She asked again. 

‘Yes’. 

‘Are they actively planning something?’ She asked again. 

He slumped in relief. The vow had prevented him bringing anything up but he could answer questions. Whilst he wasn’t all ‘War is over and I’m a totally changed man’ and skipping off the the Ministry he wanted nothing to do with his current situation but was totally trapped. Voldemort had used fear and torture to control his followers, but they were for the most part willing. The new rising weren’t as trusting so used binding magic, although the Dark Mark had been the epitome of binds, unbreakable vows had the power to kill.

‘Can you tell us anything willfully?’ She asked hopefully. 

He shook his head.

‘Where are they staying?’ Harry asked, getting interested.

‘Fucked if I know’ he replied. He had suspicions but he wasn’t going to tell them that. At least not yet. 

‘How many?’ Hermione asked. ‘3, maybe 4. I see 1, a very old family friend. I believe you may have met his wife Granger’ he said as a jolt ran through him. Close but not painful enough to constitute breaking the vow. 

‘I don’t have fond memories of it at all, but my favourite fight from the Battle of Hogwarts was Molly and Bellatrix Lestrange. I do feel a little for her husband though’ Hermione replied, grinning. 

He allowed a small smirk at Potter’s lost face and Hermione smirked back at him but didn’t fill him in. So it isn’t all rosy in Golden Ville he thought, as he watched Potter cotton on.

‘For a second there I thought you were Weasley, keep up Potter’. Draco deadpanned. 

‘We have everyone we know of except Rowle, Lestrange, Dolohov and Yaxley’ she said, shivering a little at Dolohov’s name. He noted it and save that snippet for later. He didn’t know she had particularly met him. 

‘Four brutal bastards, I’ve seen them torture war survivors’ he said carefully but obviously not enough as another shot of pain jolted through him. Thank God it didn’t alert the other party he thought but at least their preconceived notion he’d do anything to avoid pain was helping a little. They hadn’t put in that failsafe and he’d do most things to avoid pain. 

Harry noticed the pain on his face. ‘Are there immediate threats?’ He asked. ‘I can’t answer that Potter. I’d advise anyone to keep their wards pretty tight. I wouldn’t cancel day trips though’. 

‘You know I need more Malfoy, but that bond is pretty tight isn’t it? Suspicious were they?’ Harry asked. 

‘You stood up for me at my trial. It took a while to convince my friends that we weren’t suddenly best friends, although I have to say I’m liking them less and I’ve started falling for you’. 

Hermione snorted with laughter and looked down into her coffee, snuggling down into the big thick scarf she was wearing to hide her smiles. Harry stood, indicating the end of the conversation. He went to offer his hand and thought better of it, stalking to the door without a backward glance. 

‘Same time, 4th again?’ Hermione muttered, placing a tiny hand on his shoulder as she passed him. He looked up at her and stared into her deep brown eyes for a second before tearing his gaze away. ‘If you insist’ he said, dropping his head back down as she walked to join Harry and disappeared.

He left it five minutes, nursing his coffee before following them out the door, nervous but relieved. It had started and he’d survived.


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning- minor character death.

‘You’re late’ he snarled as Hermione sighed, dropping a heavy bag on the table.

It was now March and slowly warming up although still bitterly cold at times. She shrugged off her coat and scarf before speaking,

‘Well, blame your friends for detaining me. Sorry’ she said exasperatedly but insincerely. It was only by minutes and she had been busy.

She didn’t say anymore, sitting down opposite him in a slump. They’d reached a certain level of comfort with each other now, not always needing to talk. He pushed a cold cup of coffee over to her which she reheated with a warming charm and smiled her thanks, taking a sip.

In a well practiced routine she grabbed his wand, ran the checking spell then handed it back after a couple of minutes happy. He regarded her closely before breaking the companiable silence.

‘I heard you got a promotion. Congratulations’

He said it with not much enthusiasm, acknowledging her pathetic attempt at an apology but she did seem pretty stressed. Her eyes were creased and heavy, slight bruises under them. She’d been promoted to head of investigations in the DMLE, a pretty big position for someone young but her legal work on promoting the welfare of werewolves and house elves had been pretty legendary and she’d climbed quickly. The Department had a bit of a bad reputation at the moment for not catching the last few known death eaters so he saw it as a shrewd move by Kingsley. Not that she didn’t deserve it but it was a well thought out one.

‘Thankyou’ she replied surprised but he just played with his cup, not meeting her eyes.

‘I guess I’ll get a new monitor now’ he said sulkily, he actually was starting to enjoy these meetings and although time was running out he still needed her.

‘Don’t be childish. Of course not. In fact it’s more within my realm now’

She replied matter of factly which  surprised him but he supposed it did make more sense as relief flooded through him. She seemed to read his mind.

‘Apart from anything else, I need more info from you and I don’t think you’d tell anyone else’.

He perked up slightly. The monitoring was the bane of his life but she made it somewhat bearable. He’d come to that conclusion when he realised he was actually looking forward to this meeting and had got there early, making her lateness seem even later.

‘So, anything new since we last spoke?’ she asked conversationally but she didn’t fool him. Harry was desperate to pressure him into more information but she was taking a build trust and wait approach.

 ‘Nothing much, met some old friends but they’ve gone away again for a few weeks’.

She pricked her ears up bit didn’t glance up from scrawling on her paper.

‘I’d like to meet these friends of yours’ she said carefully, slowly lifting her gaze to look directly at him.

‘I’m not sure that’s wise, they’re pretty private after everything they’ve been through. They were made redundant you know, but just can’t let the old job go’.

‘Well, I really miss them. Perhaps I could come and visit. If they don’t want to see me I could borrow a cloak, I could just see how they’re getting on and they’d never need to know I was there’.

She looked pointedly at him again, the fire he was used to back behind her eyes. It had been missing since about their second meeting he thought. They were now on their sixth, only three more to go. He appreciated her indirect answers, easier to hide if his occlumency broke down and someone knew where to look. This was dangerous enough but her going anywhere near them was suicide for both.

‘Absolutely not, that’s a death wish for both of us. My hands are tied. I have to protect their secrecy’.

‘You have a choice’ she said quietly, knowing he wouldn’t take it.

‘Death? I didn’t suffer just to die. Besides, you like me’ he smirked.

She grinned slightly back, she had to admit he was growing on her. ‘I tolerate you’ she said, pulling out the wad of papers and reaching for her wand, suddenly stopping and twirling her wand carefully round her fingers in thought.

‘Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t a wand required for binding magic?’ She asked confused.

‘Correct. A wand’ he replied, stressing ‘a’.

She just looked at him questioningly and waited. ‘I had no bloody choice. I was lent one’ he said exasperatedly. ‘Draco’ she admonished, confusion running through her. Wands generally didn’t behave for other magical beings unless they were won although on occasion their allegiance could be gained. Sometimes married couples were able to share, or family members but not often and not as good as using your own wand. He read her mind.

‘Look, I’ve told you more than I should already. It just needed to work, not well. I’m just trying to stay alive. I’ve complied with every bullshit punishment including a year of torture at Hogwarts. You were there. A year of silence and stares, not that I had good memories of that place after sixth year but that pretty much wiped every one. I just want a peaceful life’.

‘You’re not the only one’ she replied as Harry walked in.  ‘Oh Gods’ she whispered. Draco turned round and swore blindly.

‘Don’t worry, I’m not here to gatecrash your meeting. I need Hermione. I’ll get a drink and wait till you’re done’ he said, glaring at Malfoy and stalking off to the counter.

‘What the fuck does he want? And what’s your problem with him?’

Hermione sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, scowling as they got caught and pulled, not answering his question.

‘None of your business’ she muttered.

She wasn’t going to tell him she’d turned up for work drunk. Harry had covered for her but he wasn’t happy and had promised next time he was turning her in. It was the last straw in an already tense recovery. She hadn’t done it again of course but it had damaged their fragile relationship a bit. They’d fallen out, him thinking she wasn’t taking anything seriously, her complaining he didn’t trust her. She sighed again disentangling her hands, glancing at Harry but not saying anything. He looked tired, dirty, stressed and was nervously looking round, checking everywhere. She knew they’d been heading out to raid a potions store in Knockturn Alley and it looked like there had been a fight although Harry had changed into muggle clothes. He looked sad, like he was about to cry. Compassion broke her stubborn streak and she forgot her argument with him.

‘Harry’ she called softly, inviting him over.

She looked pleadingly at Draco, who nodded, also noticing Harry’s drawn face. He skulked over to them, a huge slice of chocolate cake and three forks.

‘I’m guessing it didn’t go well’ Hermione said gently, laying a hand on his arm. In answer he lay his head on her shoulder and ate a big forkful of cake. He handed a fork to Hermione and took another bite himself.

‘No’

Hermione recognised his need to brood and didn’t question him further, but Draco had no such sympathy.

‘Who died?’ He asked bluntly.

‘Robins’ Harry said shortly, hesitating before handing a fork over to Draco who actually looked a little sheepish. Hermione gasped and her eyes brimmed with tears. She’d made friends with Demelza Robins when she’d returned for 7th year, having been put in a dormitory with her and spoken to her lots now they worked in the same department. Even Draco looked contrite.

‘Pretty thing you used to hang around with?’ He asked. Hermione nodded, not trusting herself to speak. ‘Shall we adjourn?’ He offered, looking between the two of them. Harry just sat eating the cake, his own eyes a little misty.

‘No, no, we have a job to do’ she choked, filling in her paperwork.

‘What happened Potter?’ Draco asked, gently for him as Harry slowed on the cake eating. He seemed to consider deeply before making eye contact with Draco.

‘We raided Ahlen’s Apothecary, we were tipped off he was smuggling acromantula eggs. Turns out he wasn’t too friendly. Demelza got hit by a rebounded curse’.

‘Ahlen’s been taking lessons then, or he has something or someone more to hide. His wandwork was never particularly proficient’ Draco replied curtly.

‘We need more Malfoy. We need to quash this before more good people die. Goldstein is still in St Mungo’s, cursed. Robards lost an arm. Snape’s grave was desecrated. Enough is enough’. Harry became fiery.

‘You’re not the only ones fighting this Potter’ Draco remarked wryly.

Harry stared at him for a full minute before speaking.

‘We need in. We can help you. Take me to a meeting, or I’ll find a way to revoke your privileges’.

‘No way’ Draco snapped but relented slightly seeing the look of pure emotion on Harry’s face.

‘Give me time. I’m not promising anything. The very fact we’re talking is more than enough, and if you know enough you’ll argue and try and hex me as I leave. This isn’t over’ Draco said quietly.

Hermione quickly scanned round the room and her eyes rested on a homeless man in the corner, apparently watching them despite their charms. It seemed Harry cottoned on quick too.

‘Always knew you were an insensitive bastard, my friend just died’ Harry suddenly shouted. Hermione started crying beside him, although he wasn’t sure how much was for show and how much was real. He stood up, recognising his cue to leave.

‘And I’m supposed to care because? Meeting’s over Granger. You’ll receive my owl for the next one’.

‘Wait, you don’t get to dictate to her you slime ball’ Harry seethed, jumping up too.

‘I think you’ll find I do. Now off you trot to cry like a baby over some poor useless witch who couldn’t even take down an apothecarian’ Draco replied haughtily, standing up tall and looking down his nose but his eyes flicked to Hermione and gave away the real story. He was sorry.

Harry pulled out his wand in anger but Hermione stopped him, whispering something unintelligible in his ear. Harry slumped down in his chair again, and dejectedly ate the rest of his cake as Draco stormed out. Harry waited until the homeless man in the corner had left before speaking.

‘Damnit. I could’ve taken him then but we can’t compromise Malfoy and even with two of us it’s risky. We’ve already lost Robins tonight. Ginny’s going to be devastated. I need you to come home with me. And Hermione, I’m sorry’.

He looked straight ahead as Hermione nodded, no more words needed. Ginny and Demelza had been good friends, and she knew her friend would be devastated when she found out.

‘This just got real didn’t they.? You weren’t after acromantula eggs? Hermione asked quietly.

‘We were, but more after who was bringing them. There were 8 of us, 8 Hermione and she still died. It was Dolohov only this time he wasn’t silenced. He got away, Demelza was supposed to set the anti apparition wards but he got her halfway through. His shield charm reflected all seven stunners sent his way. We got Ahlen but he can’t or won’t talk. Can’t probably’

Harry put his head in his hands, and Hermione pulled him into a rough hug, any arguments forgotten.

 

‘We’ll find them Harry. We’ll do it’.

 

***

 

Draco left the cafe and immediately apparated back to the small flat he’d bought as anonymously as he could a couple of weeks before. Hermione had put in a good word to allow him to be able to buy something just a couple of months early and he’d gone through enough people and fake names to do so anonymously. Kingsley knee where it was. She was generally listened to after all. He knew he wouldn’t be found here yet so was safe from whoever had been following him. He grabbed a glass and slammed it down angrily on the counter, before picking it up again and throwing it against the wall, watching it smash into thousands of tiny pieces. He waved his wand as it repaired itself, marvelling for the first time how magic must seem to others as he watched tiny fragments of glass meld back together.

He didn’t want this anymore. He wanted to put things back together, not rip them apart. He didn’t want any more guilt over innocent witches and wizards dying in the name of blood supremacy and he sure as hell didn’t ever want to be linked to it.

Sighing heavily and wearily he made his way to bed, flopping on his covers fully clothed and sleeping straight through till morning.

 

***

 

He made his way into the bar of the Hogs Head the next evening having spent all day thinking and was shocked to see a curly mane of hair sat at one of the tables.

‘Are you bloody mad?’ he whispered in her ear, noting her firewhisky on the table.

She completely ignored him, just staring into space.

‘You’ll be the bloody death of me Granger’ he muttered, downing her shot for her as she glanced up from hooded eyes. She’d been crying, that much was sure as her eyes were red dimmed and her cheeks all blotchy.

‘Ab’forth’ looks after me’ she said, raising her glass to him before noticing there was nothing in it. She looked at it confusedly.

‘Aberforth may be a Dumbledore but he isn’t Albus Dumbledore. And I thought you learnt, Firewhisky doesn’t make it better’ he said kindly, too kindly for him but there was something about her being vulnerable that made him want to protect her. She was so strong and skilled otherwise and seemed so fragile right now.

‘I’m not drunk’ she said. Her voice just slurring slightly.

‘Could’ve fooled me. You’ll get yourself killed sat here alone’ he said gently, praising the glass from her.

‘I’ll let you come next time, sober of course’ he muttered so quietly, barely even moving his lips that she almost didn’t hear him but she did. She glanced up in surprise.

‘Fuck off Malfoy’

she didn’t believe him then. He sighed and ordered two more shots before downing them both as soon as they levitated themselves towards him and putting the glasses back down on the high table where she was perched.

‘Granger, we’re leaving’ he said, grabbing her elbow and guiding her out. She jumped as he touched her but meekly allowed herself to be led outside.

‘Seems we’re in the same predicament as before. You drunk, me sober, where to go?’ He asked. She shrugged, the night air sobering her up a tiny bit. ‘Come on’ he said roughly, dragging her forwards.

‘Did you mean it?’ She asked, stumbling a little, referring to his earlier comment.

‘Mean what Granger?’ He asked patiently.

‘I can come with you?’

He thought for a moment, seemingly fighting an inner battle he’d been fighting all day before he’d upped his resolve. He wanted an end to this after all. He thought before answering slowly.

‘Sober, yes. You don’t suit this’.

He gestured up and down as she stumbled. ‘Pain’ she muttered in reply, a haunting edge to her voice. ‘Too many dead. So much pain’.

He stayed silent for a minute, at a loss of what to say as a silent tear rolled out her eye and coursed down her cheek.

‘Where are we going then Granger?’ He asked. She was spinning round in circles, completely ignoring him, face turned up to the sky.

‘I altered my wards. You’re welcome any time. S’many not’ she said simply. ‘Stop acting like Loovegood then and let’s go’.He grabbed her and disapparated them on the spot.

 

***

 

They spent the next few hours planning for the next night, once she’d slept for an hour to sober up a bit on the couch whilst he reheated the leftovers she’d pointed him to. He’d decided he may as well get on and take her to a meeting. It seemed weird, being strangely friendly and comfortable in her home whilst she slept.

She’d disappeared for 20 minutes, leaving him completely alone in her flat but had reappeared carrying a silvery cloak.

‘He wasn’t happy, not at all but reluctantly lent me this’.

Draco watched as she flung it round her shoulders and disappeared. He couldn’t see at all where she was, but could hear her laughing at him as she moved round the room.

‘Alright, take it off’ He snapped crossly as he felt his hair moving.

She reappeared beside him and sunk into the couch, grinning. He couldn’t help but smile back at her, her good mood was infectious.

‘So we’re all set?’ He asked nervously. He was having a hard time trusting her not to do something Gryffindor reckless and was regretting saying yes but if he didn’t nothing would change. She read him well and noticed the panic.

‘Don’t worry. I’m just information gathering. I’ll see you tomorrrow’ she said gently, getting up and putting the soft cloak away.

He took it as his cue to leave. He stood, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, and stalked out the door without a backward glance. She sighed and turned for bed, knowing she needed her strength and wits the next day.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whilst it doesn’t fit exactly, the 21 pilots song from Suicide Squad inspired this chapter. I like the idea of a rebel cell. And I love the song.

True to his word he’d arrived at her flat promptly the next night. She thought he’d back out. She’d spent the day revising concealment spells as it was Saturday, and waited impatiently for him to arrive. She was anxious but keen to get it over with. He didn’t say much except check she had the cloak before offering his arm to side along and with a crack disappeared from sight. 

They landed into what seemed to be a black hole but she quickly realised it was an underground corridor. She looked round intently, taking in every detail as shapes started to materialise and her vision adjusted. He grabbed her hand roughly and dragged her forward into the darkness and through the big open door set in the thick stone wall. She could just make out dark shapes in the flickering pale light from the candles on the walls. There were no windows here either so she confirmed they were underground somewhere, although she didn’t recognise it as being Malfoy Manor. It just didn’t feel like it was but then again she hadn’t made it to the dungeons. Typical Slytherin she thought, always in a dungeon. 

All of a sudden someone moved and Draco was slammed away from her backwards into the wall, a wand at his throat. She froze, panic coursing through her veins, wand ready, watching intently.

‘What the fuck Malfoy’ the man snarled, pushing his wand in deeper. Draco barely batted an eyelid which reassured her slightly. ‘Put me down Nott and I might explain’ he said roughly. 

‘Explain now, and I’ll think about it. 

Draco sighed and Nott suddenly let go as if bitten, shaking his hand furiously. 

‘You bastard’ he gasped in pain, pointing his wand at his arm and muttering incantations. 

‘I asked nicely’ Draco replied nonchalantly, taking hold of Hermione’s wrist again, holding her tight. To everyone else it looked like a show of ownership but she knew it was to stop her retaliating and probably for her protection too. It was rough and she fought against him so he released his grip slightly, stroking the inside of her wrist with his thumb as if to reassure her. They both seemed to realise what he was doing at the same time and he stopped, frozen in horror. 

She’d stood by silently watching the exchange between him and Theo but now looked around, taking in her surroundings properly as she’d learnt, the habit never leaving her of checking for exits and potential foes. About five figures were in the room, a couple she recognised with Nott being one of them. He seemed to have recovered from whatever curse Malfoy had hit him with and was glaring at the pair of them, muttering to Zabini who was now stood next to him. Hermione was secretly impressed, it had to have been a wandless and non verbal curse he hit Nott with and that was difficult magic. She could feel all five sets of eyes on her but none more venomous than Nott, who continued to glare at her and looked her up and down with disgust. 

‘Fucking the mudblood Draco? Happy hormones make better of your judgement’. 

She bristled at the insult but tried not to let it show. 

‘No different to the whores you pay for, only i’m free and I don’t just lay there passive’ She spat back at him. 

‘Touché Granger. After all, it’s a use for you. Glad you know your place’. 

‘Enough, I’m not fucking her and if I was it’s none of your business’ Draco butted in. ‘I wouldn’t anger her too much Nott. She was brighter than you at school and now works for the DMLE. I wouldn’t want to test her abilities now’. 

Nott turned and stalked away to some chairs by the fire, Zabini following him. Hermione shivered, it was cold underground and she hadn’t really dressed properly for it. 

‘Stop riling him up, he’s volatile’ Draco whispered. 

‘He called me a mudblood Malfoy, what do you expect? Don’t worry, I’ll play nice’ she hissed back. 

‘Good’ he sneered, dragging her roughly over to the chairs releasing her wrist to sit on the last free chair. There were two young girls on the sofa, and someone snoring in the armchair next to Draco with a hat over his face. 

‘No chairs? I’m sorry, must have run out with those welcome here. The floor is free’ Nott sneered. 

Hermione glanced at the dirty floor before she glared at him and sat on Draco’s lap, smiling sweetly. He wrapped an arm round her and shifted her to pointedly to one knee. 

‘When did you develop sass?’ He whispered in her ear. ‘A free seat. Why, bother you?’ She muttered back. She heard rather than saw his smirk and stayed sitting.

‘Why is she here?’ Nott asked gruffly, interrupting her.

‘I have a name, Theodore. You may use it, your tongue won’t burn away unless you really piss me off’. 

Draco looked admiringly at her and squeezed her hip gently. ‘I should have brought you sooner’ he grinned. ‘She’s Potter’s bitch, Draco, you shouldn’t have brought her ever’ Theo snorted angrily. 

‘Awww, are you jealous he brought me instead of Won-Won? Or was your crush Harry?’ She teased, hitting on the rumours from School that Nott was gay. He stood up and pointed his wand at her angrily as Draco threw her off his lap and pulled his on Theo. 

‘Enough Theo, enough. Calm it’ Zabini said, getting between them and shoving Theo back on the chair before turning to Draco. 

‘He’s right though, explain’. 

Draco sat back down and conjured Hermione a chair, keeping his wand loosely dangling by his side but in a way Hermione recognised as dangerous. 

‘She’s just as damaged as we are. And useful, I mean she’s already defeated one powerful dark wizard and we have a common dislike of his wannabe’ he said airily.

‘And pretty’ a female voice piped up Hermione didn’t recognise. It belonged to a very slim, very small witch sat opposite Theo who’d been glaring daggers at her. 

‘Astoria, Hermione Granger, Hermione, Astoria Greengrass’ 

Draco waved between them introducing them, before turning back to Astoria. 

‘Jealous?’ He asked , raising his eyebrows as Astoria flushed with embarrassment . 

‘Lay off Draco, don’t be cruel’ Zabini cut in and Astoria flashed him a grateful smile. Draco ignored them both and carried on.

‘We weren’t getting anywhere. We’re on the same side as the goody two shoes but they don’t know what we know’.

‘So you want us to go cock - suck the Order? Fat lot of good they’ve done so far. Most of them are oblivious ’ Theo said scornfully. 

‘Yeah? Welcomed with open arms we’ll be’ Zabini cut in. 

‘No, you pair of dickheads. She can help us, she’s pretty good at the magic stuff. Or did you forget the beatings because she beat you in every test again?’ 

‘I don’t’ Theo started but Draco hushed him, listening intently. 

‘Fuck, he’s here already’ he hissed, lighting a fire in the grate. Zabini headed to the door, wand pointing down the corridor. ‘Girls get out, Astoria you need to get back to school’. 

She nodded and grabbed her friend, throwing some floo powder down and walking into the flames. They disappeared as Hermione put out the fire after them and Draco extinguished half of the lights. They’d agreed darkness was better to help hide her and she’d use a dissolutionment charm under the cloak just in case. She grabbed his arm and whispered ‘trust me?’ He nodded and she flicked her wand at him. ‘What is that?’ He asked amazed as his vision changed. ‘Night vision spell’ she replied calmly, shutting the bag she’d been fiddling in and picked up the pile of fabric she’d dropped at her feet. She threw Harry’s cloak round her shoulders disappearing and grabbed Draco’s robes so he’d know she was there. He backed towards an alcove in the wall so she’d have some protection and stood waiting. Hermione could hear her heart beating hard in her chest but she wasn’t kept waiting long. She struggled to stifle a gasp as she suspected who walked in. 

‘Homenium revelio’ the hooded man said loudly and both Nott and Zabini stiffened, gripping their wands tighter. The fourth figure she now recognised as Warrington had woken, oblivious to what had been happening before. 

‘Alone I see. Could have sworn I heard more voices’.

‘No uncle. Zabini can make a fair racket though and you may have heard Warrington snoring like a train’.

Draco kicked the man to stand up. The uncle confirmed to Hermione this was Rodolohus Lestrange, although she’d known as soon as he’d shuffled in. He’d evaded capture along with his brother but Rabastan had been caught just a few months before and she’d studied their portraits so much she’d recognise his walk anywhere.

Draco spoke again. 

‘You’ve travelled alone uncle?’ He asked politely. ‘Refreshments?’ 

Theo clicked his fingers and a quaking house elf appeared, peering up at him through her big eyes. Theo glanced down at the elf disdainfully. ‘Bring him a meal’ he snapped as the house elf nodded and disappeared right away without speaking. It was back seconds later and set a plate on the coffee table. The cloaked man sat and tore into it hungrily. 

‘Sit, sit’ he waved at the four men who stood around nervously. ‘What news have you to cheer me whilst I eat?’ He asked. Hermione got a good look at his face from her vantage point. 

‘And why so dark, come, let us have light’. 

He clapped his hands and the candles all burned brightly again. Hermione shrank back although she knew she was doubly invisible. Be brave, Gryffindor she thought, steeling herself and standing up tall. She took in everything, noting it down to feedback to Harry. He was dirty, obviously living on the run and hungry, the way he was tearing into the food. He was nervous but confident, he exuded an air of power. All three seemed nervous of him although Draco less so, perhaps he was better at hiding it. 

He moved round behind his uncle so Hermione could see his face but it was hidden from Lestrange’s view. 

‘I hear Robards and his gang have been searching north Uncle, specifically near Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Perhaps it would be wise to remain South for a while’. Harry had told him he was very wet when searching, and Scotland had had heavy rain. 

Rodolphus nodded, taking in the information. 

‘We still have a few tricks, it’s actually embarrassing they haven’t caught us yet. Rabastan was...regrettable but his own idiocy being caught pants down, literally.’ He nodded towards Zabini, who flushed, before continuing. ‘How are your probation meetings? I trust you’re not too distressed by conversing with the mudblood? It was a good choice Draco, win her trust if you do have to suffer her company. All the sweeter when our revenge is exacted’. 

Panic flashed across Draco’s eyes before he steeled himself again but Rodolphus was too busy eating to notice. 

‘I shall be glad when they end, uncle. The ordeal is taxing’ he said, choosing his words carefully. 

He glanced to the corner where Hermione was but looked back again quickly, he had to stop acting like a nervous wreck or he’d give something away. 

‘And boys, what news?’ He asked politely of the two men stood in the shadows. 

‘Nothing much, then again, haven’t been trying that hard’ Theo replied uncaringly. 

‘INSOLENCE’ 

Hermione shrank back as the older wizard roared at Theo, sending a hex at him with speed. Theo yowled in pain before shouting ‘Fuck this’ and disapparating. 

‘I’ll deal with him later’ Rodolphus said darkly, continuing eating as if nothing had happened. A few moments later he stood. 

‘You’re all bound to the cause anyway. We shall meet properly in one week. Do not disappoint me’ he said, sweeping out with a swish of his robes as all three remaining men crumpled to the floor writhing and screaming in pain.

‘I hate him’ Zabini exclaimed as they heard the pop of apparition echo from up the corridor and they were free from the curse. He gingerly got to his feet, shaking off the dust and shuddering, muttering on. 

‘Does he really think that cursing us is going to make us do his dirty work? When will he realise it’s over? How the fuck did I get trapped in this anyhow. I didn’t last time an egomaniac tried to purify the wizarding race’ he grumbled. 

‘Oh, nice of you to join us’ he added as Theo popped back in. 

‘Home time Granger’ Draco remarked casually as if he hadn’t just been tortured, reaching her side as she pulled the cloak off and took all the charms off herself. 

‘Fuck me, that’s brave’ Warrington said dreamily. ‘Any food left?’ 

He ambled over to a side table as if he totally wasn’t fazed that Hermione Granger had materialised from nowhere in the middle of the room. Draco leaned down and whispered in her ear, grinning. ‘He’s a stoner. Well, pretends to be now but it hasn’t changed the way he acts or talks so he’s still a liability. He’s great because no one believes what he says, ever’. 

She grinned as he looked around the room, talking to some shadows on the wall. ‘Your turn Zabini. I’m taking Granger home’. Zabini just glared at him as his shoulders sagged. Draco suddenly seemed to snap, as if becoming aware he was being too friendly for his liking. 

‘Show’s over, time to leave’ he said gruffly, yanking her arm. ‘What is this place? Where exactly are we?’ She asked quickly, noting his change in attitude. 

‘Don’t be stupid, princess’ he returned curtly. 

‘I can take myself home if you’re just going to insult me. 4th?’ She replied equally as stonily as they made their way back up the darkened corridor. 

He grabbed her wrist again, saying quickly ‘You can’t get out without me’ and disapparating back to her front door before she could speak. 

When they landed she whipped her wand out and sent a patronus quickly. ‘I don’t want an audience’ she explained, letting them in. 

‘You have beef with Potter?’ He remarked, following her inside and collapsing on her couch. 

‘What did he hit you with?’ 

She ignoried his question asking one in return and headed over to a cabinet on the wall. She opened it and fiddled around, moving vials around. 

‘First question, we’re a bunch of misfits with a mutual understanding. Rabastan had a thing with Zabini’s mother and he was volunteered. It’s how he got caught, in bed with her. He was a little careless, thinking with his dick but can’t say I’m unhappy he’s no longer around. Nott inherited the legacy from his father, they invited themselves in and stayed a few weeks and he makes his displeasure known as you saw. Neither believe all that pureblood supremacy any more, but are struggling to understand and adjust to their new place in the world. Warrington just appeared one day and hasn’t really left, he’s a bit like our pet. The girls, well Astoria will be my intended when I finish probation’. 

He spoke matter of factly but Hermione could hear the uncertainty in his voice. She turned without saying anything and threw him a vial which he caught deftly, before she headed into the kitchen pulling out two mugs. He was still staring at the vial as she walked back in. 

‘Your second question, I obviously can’t tell you but you’re bright, you’ll work it out’ he replied quietly, flicking the vial around his fingers deftly. 

‘It’s a pain potion, it’ll help’ she replied softly. ‘I haven’t poisoned it’ she added as he sat staring at it. 

‘Strangely Granger, I trust you. But I’ve never, no ones ever’ he said, quickly downing it, running out of words to say. 

‘Cared? I’m guessing that wasn’t a one off occurrence then? What was that?’ 

He didn’t answer, watching instead as two mugs filled with hot chocolate in front of them, and she laced them with firewhisky.

‘Its a curse of his own invention. Turns your blood to ice crystals. It’s like razors but inside’ 

He paused. ‘Why are you being nice to me?’ 

He asked almost pitifully, head low but still looking at her. In return she fixed him with a deep gaze, searching for something but he wasn’t sure what. He looked down, unsure what was going on. 

‘Why not?’ She asked, resting back and sipping her drink after handing one to him. 

‘Oh. I can think of many reasons’ he said wryly.

‘Have I ever been unkind to you?’

‘You punched me’ he retorted. 

She grinned at the memory. ‘Violent, yes, angry, yes, insulting, yes, but never unkind’ she remarked off handedly, staring at him as if she was studying him. He thought for a moment. 

‘I wish I could say the same’.

He was genuinely regretful, remembering a particularly vivid nightmare that haunted him at least monthly. He stared at her sleeve but being late it was long and he couldn’t see her arm. 

‘Is that an apology?’ She asked, curious, her gaze never wavering from him as a stag patronus burst back in. 

‘Debrief 0700’ floated Harry’s voice. 

‘That’s four hours from now’ Hermione groaned, noticing Draco staring at the patronus.

‘I’ve never been able to cast a patronus’ he said sadly, as the beautiful creature fizzled out. 

‘Really?’

Hermione sat upright in surprise, although it vaguely stirred something in her memory. The night he’d brought her home she’d mentioned it and he’d told her then he couldn’t. 

‘What’s Potter’s problem?’ He asked, changing subject. He’d gone slightly red at his admission.

‘I can teach you’ she offered softly, ignoring his question again. He scorned. 

‘I’m a death eater Granger’.

‘Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Snape could. It’s not an exclusive piece of magic. Complicated, but not exclusive’ 

‘Snape could?’ 

He raised his eyebrows in amazement and something, something like pride. And hope. She nodded and stretched up yawning, ‘I’ll tell you sometime but I need sleep. I have to brave Harry in the morning’. 

Her tone gave away her distinct displeasure at that prospect. She made to stand but he didn’t move.

‘He knows when you leave so if you don’t want him appearing I’d disappear now’ she sighed, vanishing the mugs and standing slowly. She yawned as she did so, her shirt riding up giving Draco a glimpse of her hipbones. She was wearing a simple baggy jumper and jeans but he couldn’t stop staring at that tiny expanse of flesh on show. 

‘The 4th Granger’ He said, snapping himself out of it and heading for the door. It slammed behind him and Hermione cursed as she heard his crack of apparition. She didn’t bother getting undressed as she flopped on her bed and fell sound asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione cursed as her alarm went off very early the next morning. It felt as if she’s only just shut her eyes . 

‘Eugh’ she muttered, looking at the state of her clothes and her bed, memories of the night before flooding back in. She had to pinch herself it was real but then she saw the grime and the dirt and knew it wasn’t a dream. 

She got up and headed straight for the floo, not bothering to change before heading to Harry’s. She wasn’t planning to stay there long, he’d not been pleased when she said she was heading to a meeting with a Malfoy and had very reluctantly handed over his cloak after trying to talk her out of it. Hermione took it as an affront of her skills rather than see the pure fact he was worried about her. They were still just getting over their last argument so had tentatively parted Ron was oblivious, he was on constant Azkaban rotation having suffered a minor injury until he healed and they hadn’t seen him much although Harry thought about another month but couldn’t be sure. 

He was sat in the kitchen, two steaming mugs in front of him as she emerged from the grate. She crossed the kitchen slowly and slumped down in front of him on the bench. The kitchen had barely changed in the years he’d been living there but it was strangely comforting now and Kreacher kept it spotless. 

He wordlessly slid the cup over towards her and for a second she was grateful. At least he remembered how she took it. They’d known each other nearly ten years, dated for 8 months and still Ron put milk in her coffee. 

‘So’ Harry said, leaving a very pregnant silence between them. 

The atmosphere was frosty, Hermione noticed, he wasn’t his usual welcoming self but then she hadn’t really expected that had she? Still, needs must.

‘Rodolphus’ she confirmed, although they’d suspected as much.

‘And?’ 

She could see and hear the exasperation in his voice and just broke down, angry.

‘Oh Gods. I’m sorry alright. I’m sorry. I just, I just couldn’t take it that day. Mum’s birthday. Harry, do you have any idea what it means to knowingly make your parents forget about you? I orphaned myself, I killed my parents. Physically their bodies live on but it’s not them. My magic isn’t good enough to get them back. I, I can’t deal with it sometimes’ she exploded. 

Harry just stared at her stonily. 

‘Harry, I know you lost your parents too. And Sirius. And Remus. But they weren’t your fault. Your hand. And you’ve dealt with it better than I ever could. I, I needed to reach rock bottom to climb up again’ she pleaded. 

‘Sirius was my fault. Hermione, we care about you. You just have to come to us’ he said quietly.

‘I couldn’t. You, you and Ron? You’ve dealt with this so much better than I am. You’re getting married, Ron has a girlfriend. You have love and people to go home to’.

‘You’re always welcome here’ Harry tried but she cut him off, tears forming in her eyes. ‘You just don’t get it’ she screeched, storming off and back to the fireplace as it blocked. 

She span around to see Harry put his wand down. 

‘Harry Potter, you let me go’ she cried, tears falling freely down her face as she was shaking with rage and emotion. 

‘We still have work to do’ he said curtly, not looking at her but staring at where she should be sitting instead. Eventually she calmed down enough to face him and she sidled into his line of sight. 

‘You look tired’ he remarked, as if lost for anything else to say. 

‘I was up all night. Death eaters don’t keep regular hours’ she snapped back.

‘You’re not the only one. I was watching for you. I’m trying Hermione’ he said, sitting back slightly, a pained look on his face. 

She caved slightly, he really did care about her and he did need this information. She took a deep breath before talking. Professional after all. 

‘I’m fairly sure we went to Nott Manor. Malfoy, Zabini, Warrington, the younger Greengrass and another student were there. After the boys settled their pissing contest over me being there he came. He’s travelling, moving light as we’d expected, he looked haggard’. 

She carried on recounting the whole evening to him in great detail uninterrupted until she got to the bit about returning to her flat. 

‘Why was Malfoy there?’ Harry asked, his voice laced with suspicion. 

‘He was cursed, Harry. I gave him a pain potion and we chatted. He left, I went to bed. He is informing us after all, thought I’d be polite’. 

He nodded. He was changing his mind about Malfoy, he had after all helped them.

‘If that’s all then?’ She asked, standing up. 

‘Stay, ‘mione’ he pleaded. 

‘Not right now Harry’ she pleaded, not looking back as she walked to the floo. She stopped as she got to the fireplace. Above the fire was a photo of them, the three of them from sixth year. She stared at it and Harry saw where she was looking. 

‘Reminds me of happy times’ Harry said distantly. ‘My family. QWe’re here for you Hermione’. 

She didn’t look at him, staring instead at the picture. 

‘I never left you Harry. I believed in you, even when we had little hope. I gave you time. Just, just never leave me ok?’

She gulped, and grabbed a handful of floo powder, still staring at the photo. ‘It’ll take time Harry’ she said, before stepping in and whooshing home. 

 

***

She fell out the fireplace her end and collapsed on the sofa in tears before realising another body was sat in the chair opposite.

‘What do you want Malfoy?’ She asked, rubbing her eyes as she stared at him, trying to stop crying. 

‘What did that bastard say to you?’ He asked menacingly in reply, his face angry. 

‘Nothing that matters. I just miss them but they don’t get it. They don’t understand I’m not coping and think I can snap out of it. I can’t’. 

He let her sob for a second before crossing the room and sitting on the arm of the sofa next to her. She choked back her tears and looked up at him, her beautiful dark eyes staring at him, looking completely lost. 

Slowly he reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, then pulled her into a hug. 

‘I don’t do physical contact Granger, don’t get used to it’ he murmured against her hair, as she broke down properly sobbing, her body shaking with the tears. After a few minutes she sat up, pulling away from him and gave a shy smile. 

‘I won’t tell anyone’ she whispered and he gave a short bark of laughter. 

‘Can’t ruin my reputation of not being human after all’ he said, stroking her hair as she cuddled into his leg. Eventually she spoke.

‘Tea?’ 

The moment was broken and she sat up. ‘Coffee?’ He asked hopefully instead. ‘It was a late night after all and this is an early morning’.

She nodded and got up, heading out to the kitchen. He followed her and sank down at her rickety wooden table, watching intently as she busied herself with a big black contraption he’d never seen before. 

‘Granger, what is that?’ He asked eventually, confused. 

‘Coffee machine’ she replied simply, laughing when he jumped as a horrible noise sounded. 

‘What the fuck is it doing?’ He asked loudly in a panic.

‘Making coffee’, she returned, slamming the fridge door and turning the grill on, then roughly shoving a cup of coffee in front of him. 

‘Feel free to leave if muggle coffee is too much for you’ she said disdainfully, slamming around some more stuff. 

‘No no, coffee is good’ he muttered, as they sat in silence for a moment, Hermione pottering round the kitchen. ‘You’re scaring me’ he joked, watching as she hacked at a loaf of bread. 

‘Who the fuck does he think he is? So what if I got drunk a few times, it’s not as if he’s never done anything stupid is it? Oh yeah, let’s go down a trap door guarded by a three headed dog, because that worked out so well. Or dive in a lake to retrieve the sword of gryffindor wearing a bloody horcrux why don’t you? But no, I get drunk and turn up for work on my mum’s birthday and it’s like I’ve started World War three’.

Malfoy stood up and took the knife off her, putting it down on the worktop before turning her round. 

‘Breathe Granger’ 

He stared intently at her, his grey eyes burrowing deep into her brown ones. Something shifted between them and her breath caught in her throat. They were inches apart, she could swear he was about to dip his head and kiss her before the fire rumbled announcing an incoming guest. 

‘Hermione’ a voice called jovially from the front room. Draco sighed and dropped his hands either side of her onto the worktop before pushing himself up to standing and away from her. 

‘Great, just what I need’ he muttered, as Ron looked in the kitchen. 

‘Oh, there you are, what is he doing here?’ He shouted, his tone changing as he saw the tall blonde wizard also in the room. ‘

Just leaving Weasel, ah- don’t speak, I’m not in the mood for inane meanderings of a Neanderthal today. Thanks for last night and the coffee Granger. Until next time. I’ll see myself out’. 

Draco walked out still with his mug of coffee as Ron stood there mouth opening and closing but no words coming out. If he could have done, Hermione imagined steam coming out his ears he seemed that apoplectic with rage. Eventually he spoke.

‘What was he doing here?’ 

‘Getting breakfast, we had a late night’ she said evasively, knowing it would rile him and secretly enjoying it. 

He was incredulous, turning to stare at her in shock. ‘Visiting me Ron, he appeared when I got back from Harry’s. Much the same as you I imagine’ she snapped back, relenting just a little before he had a heart attack or exploded in her kitchen. She didn’t have much argument with him really. 

‘And you made him bacon?’ He asked, noticing what she was doing. 

‘We worked very late last night and didn’t eat. I’m polite Ron, I offered breakfast as it’s a bit mean to cook but not for your guests. Guess you can have it now as you chased him away’. 

‘Thanks’. He fell hungrily on the sandwich she’d turned to finish making when he’d walked in, completely missing her sarcasm. 

‘What do you want Ron?’ She asked, sitting down with her own. 

‘Just checking in’ he said airily, munching his sandwich and looking at her properly. 

‘You don’t need to do that. I’m fine’ she replied through gritted teeth. 

‘Hermione, I want to. You’re my best friend. I might not understand you right now but I don’t want you doing something stupid so I’m here’. 

She didn’t say anything, not trusting herself to not get angry. She was big enough to take care of herself but it was nice he’d come over really and she had to stop pushing her friends away all the time. Baby steps. 

‘I’m not going out drinking’ she started to say as he spoke at the same time ‘glad I did, you were alone with Malfoy, who knows what he would have done if I hadn’t come over’. 

‘Right, out’ she shouted, snatching his plate off him. 

‘What’ve I done?’ He asked confused, spitting crumbs. ‘I do not need you and Harry to mother me. I’m perfectly capable of doing what I want’ She screeched, pushing him towards the fire as he started to protest.

‘Just get out Ronald, and leave me alone’ she shouted as he turned to face her, a hurt look in his eyes as he left.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back Ron

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a short chapter but the next two more than make up. 
> 
> As always, appreciate comments or criticism. I’m not a writer, just a fan with an overactive imagination. Sadly most inspiration comes in the middle of the night and is lost by the time I locate something to write it down so it’s so much better in my head!

Ron made his way straight over to Grimmauld Place where Harry was sat at the kitchen table still, having not moved since Hermione had left an hour ago. He was still nursing his now cold cup of tea but looked up as Ron flooed in. There were only three fireplaces connected to Grimmauld Place now and Hermione’s was one of them. The Burrow was the second and George’s flat the third. 

‘She kicked me out’ he greeted Harry indignantly without preamble, muttering under his breath whilst sitting down. 

‘Hi Ron. How are you?’ Harry interrupted him sarcastically and he stopped muttering and looked up. 

‘It’s great to see you, is that you back now? What are you muttering about? What did she do? I’m guessing you mean Hermione?’ 

Harry was genuinely pleased to see Ron but he answered all jumbled up so Harry interrupted him again. ‘English Ronald. I don’t speak gobbledygook’

‘Iwenttohermione’sflatandmalfoywasthere’ he rushed out, only just intelligible but Harry had known him a long time. 

‘I know, what wait, this morning?’ Harry was confused.

‘Yeah, in her kitchen all cosy, insinuating they spent the night together. You don’t think they actually did do you?’He asked, the sudden thought of that crossing his mind and his face screwing up in disgust.

‘They did, but not as you think I’m fairly sure. Malfoy is part of an underground group trying to emulate Voldemort. He’s bound to the cause, but he managed to tell us enough we could investigate a bit and we raided Ahlen’s on an anonymous tip. He doesn’t want in but is tied up pretty tight. He agreed to let Hermione go with him, only Hermione. He seems to trust her. I think that’s why he asked for her to take over when Fincham outed him. He couldn’t tell anyone but seems to trust her, and I think I trust him. He brought her back once after she went out of once. Found her in muggle London. She was smashed again’. 

Ron was silent. ‘Where do I start? So she went? This meeting thing’ He said eventually, leaving other revelations for later. 

Harry just nodded, as Ron sat back and ran his fingers around his temples. 

‘And you just let her?’ He accused. 

‘Really Ron? You think I didn’t have something to say? It’s Hermione, she can look after herself, although she thinks me being worried about her means u think she can’t do it. I don’t like the idea of anyone going. We’ve already lost Demelza’. 

Both were silent, not really wanting to acknowledge anything until Ron broke it with a cry of ‘but Malfoy’. 

Harry grimaced and buried his head in his tea as Ron poured a cup too, before vanishing it and asking for coffee. Harry poured him a cup and they both sat back as he filled Ron in on everything he’d missed. 

‘Phewww’ he whistled as Harry finished a good ten minutes later. ‘I’m worried about her. Really worried. What do we do?’ 

Harry glanced down. ‘I don’t know, she’s so...unhinged. I want to help but everything I do she bites my head off. I’m scared Ron, this isn’t like I ever imagined Hermione could be and she’s reckless. She’s fine for days, weeks maybe but then something sets her off and she goes and drinks and who knows?’

‘We need an intervention’ he declared proudly, beaming into a smile. 

‘A...a what?’ Harry asked, confused and impressed Ron knew the word, it was very much a muggle concept. 

‘You know. Sit her down, talk to her’ 

‘Oh. Ron, I’ve tried. You’re only just hearing it all now. I’ve been trying. And researching, but there’s no way to get her parents back. She did too well and risks damaging their mind more and she knows it. I think all we can do is give it time and support her At least the job change is giving her focus’ 

He looked up as Ginny stumbled in in her pyjamas, then down again quickly as his cheeks flushed red. She sat down next to him and he pulled her into his side and kissed her head before she noticed Ron was staring at her. 

‘Give over Ron. We get married next month, it’s not like you haven’t stayed at Olivia’s before’. 

It was Ron’s turn to go red at his sisters words and for the second time in a day open and shut his mouth like a fish. 

‘Does, what the hell would mum say?’ He spat out.

‘I don’t plan on finding out. She probably knows. She knows everything, but hasn’t said anything to me at least. Her and dad snuck around Hogwarts for years. Anyway, dearest brother. Let’s concentrate on the fact you’re here, in my kitchen at stupid o clock on a weekend. Is that you back from Azkaban now?’ 

She summoned her dressing gown from upstairs using Harry’s wand and shrugged it on as it flew in the room, then made a fresh pot of tea as Ron updated them both on his time at wizard prison. As the auror on site he didn’t have to do much, but had strolled around on occasion. He was there as both protection for the guards from the prisoners, but also the prisoners from most of the guards. Having rid the prison of Dementors guards had been installed, but it wasn’t a job that attracted the brightest and the best. There were even one or two squibs, but as Ron told Harry and Ginny you wouldn’t mess with them. 

‘I think most of the guards would be in there for something if they knew how to properly wield a wand. Would’ve been the ideal job for Crabbe and Goyle. In fact, I’m not entirely sure Goyle doesn’t work there. They all blend into one in the end. Goyle snr is just a brute. The worst are Nott and Lestrange. They’re going mad. Keep talking about a second coming’. 

Harry shivered as he remembered his rotation there, he was hated and had considered polyjuice just to avoid the verbal abuse. It was normally done in a two week block, but Ron had been there a while. Seemed he liked the break, and for some reason wasn’t as hated as Harry. It was relatively easy work and that suited Ron’s easygoing nature. 

‘I think there is. We knew there would be threats, there will always be threats. No one wants to talk, anyone who isn’t in Azkaban is pissed. All the leads, the contacts have gone. It’s dangerous, we’ve stopped one crazy maniac already this year. Although, trying to drum up support in the Leaky Cauldron was never really going to work was it?’ Harry grinned as he remembered that particular takedown. 

‘Well, no, it wasn’t. So really we’re at war again?’ 

‘I wouldn’t say war, but if Malfoy is concerned enough to enlist our help then I’m taking it seriously’. 

Harry looked down, weary. Ginny snuggled in under his shoulder, looking grave. Ron broke the silence. 

‘Oh well. Much like last time, there’s a wedding first’.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fluffier chapter, I promise it gets darker again. I don’t naturally write edgy so it’s very difficult to not delve into hearts and flowers.

Hermione answered the door in just a jersey, looking worse for wear and considerably annoyed he was there. Harry barely glanced at her before barging through the door and standing waiting for her in her front room. 

‘What the hell Hermione? I thought we were over this’ He asked angrily, his eyes flashing at her. 

‘We waited hours for you, I was worried. You weren’t here, you didn’t show at work, no one had seen you all day. We didn’t know what had happened, you’re in a snake den after all. It’s not like you to stand us up’

She sighed and ran her hair through her hand.

‘I had a better offer’ she shrugged nonchalantly, turning her back on him to hide her face. She didn’t want him to see the pain she was feeling about deceiving him and leaving him waiting but it had been worth the information.

‘A better? Hermione! We’re worried about you. We’re all worried about you, you’re not yourself then you disappear for a day and night’ he changed tack, glancing round at the messy living room. Hermione looked too and shuddered at the mess. 

‘Don’t be Harry. I’m fine’ she said through slightly gritted teeth as a noise from the bathroom caught his attention. He hadn’t realised the shower had been running until he very obviously heard it being turned off. He looked towards the bathroom then back at Hermione. She looked down almost guiltily as the door opened and a tall blonde man walked out wrapped just in a towel. 

‘Thought I heard your dulcet tones Potter. Mind keeping it down? I was up all night’ said Malfoy as Harry looked aghast. 

Harry’s eyes flicked between the two of them and Hermione had gone beetroot red but was steadfastly not looking at Malfoy.

‘A slytherin jersey. That’s a Slytherin jersey’ Harry said dully, suddenly taking in what she was wearing . 

‘Ten points to Potter’ Malfoy cracked sarcastically as Hermione pleaded with Harry.

‘Harry, I can explain’

She glared at Malfoy as if daring him to speak. To his credit, he stayed silent. 

‘I don’t want to hear it Hermione. Not yet’ he replied tersely. 

‘Uh oh, if you’re going to fight, I’m leaving’ Malfoy said, turning as if to go into the bedroom. 

Hermione ignored him, standing still and watching her dark haired best friend go through a glut of emotions she couldn’t decipher. 

‘I can’t do this right now, Mione’. Harry eventually said. She nodded glumly, tears threatening to spill but she managed to hold them in. 

‘I’ll owl you’ he said curtly, turning from the room and heading out the front door. Hermione heard his pop of apparition before letting her guard down and breaking down into tears. She dropped to the floor, curled in a ball sobbing before noticing a pair of feet in front of her. She gave a few big gulps and allowed him to help her up, staring at him with big brown eyes and a tear stained snotty face. 

‘Don’t cry’ he whispered, stroking the tears from her cheeks and gently kissing her forehead. 

‘I hate’ sniff ‘missing’ sniff ‘everyone’ she said as a fresh wave of tears wracked her body. Draco swore then pulled her into a tight, fierce hug. 

‘I’m getting protective of you now. Go figure. You’ll make it up with them, you always do and go back to hating me’

He spoke with indifference but they both knew things wouldn’t go back to how they were. He pushed her back, holding onto her shoulders.

‘He jumped to conclusions. Not you. We will stop this, ok?’ 

He suddenly looked her up and down before clearing his throat. He couldn’t help but appreciate Hermione in his old quidditch jersey she’d put on over her t shirt the night before when they’d been researching at his flat and had been cold. They’d popped back to hers for breakfast and showers before continuing their research. 

‘You look good in green’ he gulped before turning away embarrassed. It wasn’t like him to be so affectionate, and he didn’t want her to see exactly how good he thought she looked. 

‘I need sleep, I could probably sleep like the dead. You’re welcome to stay or go or whatever’ she said to his retreating back, yawning heavily. Rodolphus has given a hint of his plans last night and they’d been up all night researching it. She watched as he stopped dead, before turning slowly.

‘Bloody Hell Granger, you’re brilliant. No sleep. Make coffee and I’ll get dressed’

‘Graves’ He said simply, sitting down five minutes later as Hermione handed him a coffee. 

‘Are where dead people lie, yes’ she replied sarcastically. 

‘Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit my dear. Graves are where people go to visit their loved ones’ 

‘Yes. I understand the purpose of a grave’ she replied, rolling her eyes in frustration. 

‘Rodolphus was besotted with Bellatrix’. 

Her eyes opened wide as she gasped at him. 

‘He, he visits her?’ 

‘I would imagine so. A few times he’s come in covered in mud. I imagine he’ll have put all kinds of warning spells on it, and Mother was allowed to put her ashes in the Black cemetery’. 

‘Can you get in?’ Hermione’s eyes lit up. If they could catch him unawares, they could end this threat. There has been a particularly brutal murder of an old wizard that looked to be Dolohov last week and they were keen to catch them. 

‘I’m not sure. I’m not a Black technically, although neither is Rodolphus. I imagine there’s all kinds of protective spells. I can dig around at home. See what I can find. Perhaps now is time to make up with Potter?’ He suggested gently. 

‘I handled that badly, didn’t I?’She asked, putting her head in her hands. 

‘Ye Gods, I’m siding with Potter. You did. He needs the information. I want that bastard stopped, I want his hold over me gone, I want him dead. You’re the one I choose to talk to, not him. We’re getting on ok, but you need your friends Hermione’ 

‘You called me Hermione’ she smiles wryly. 

‘Don’t get used to it’ 

‘We’ll be fighting again by noon. Now. Important. I need to teach you a patronus. Especially if you think he’s trying to get dementors onside. Tonight? I’ll teach all of you and he said he’d be away a week’ 

‘I’ll admit, I’ve always been intrigued. I’ll pick you up, 8pm tonight. Now go see Potter. Kiss and make up and promise him your unborn children or whatever touchy feely Gryffindor’s do. I have actual work to do’. 

He stood up and left abruptly, not liking how friendly and at ease he felt, it felt wrong but right and was confusing him, and he needed to get out of there.

***

Hermione watched him leave, then turned back to her coffee cup. She tried to summon some energy to go and confront Harry. She had missed wedding planning and dinner after all. It was only two weeks away and she knew she had to make up with them soon but couldn’t face it this tired, so decided on a quick nap first. 

She woke and looked at the darkness and cursed. The sun had set meaning Malfoy was coming soon and she hadn’t even eaten. She hadn’t meant to sleep that long. Harry could wait till morning, she was sure.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starting to get a little darker..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning, 
> 
> Parental loss. Mental breakdown

p>Patronus practice was not going well, much to Nott and Zabini’s disgust but Draco had hissed ‘she’s helping us’ at them and they’d relented a little. Astoria and Megan had been joined by Daphne this week but all three had pointedly ignored her.

She’d tried to gain their trust and had taught them some counter curses, even previously joining in with their firewhisky session which greatly amused them until Draco dragged her home before she could embarrass herself. Warrington didn’t give two hoots and barely noticed if she was there or not. It’ seemed Zabini was living in Nott Manor too but they spent most of their time in the dungeon. 

They’d learned she was fighting with Potter, which mollified them slightly but they still largely ignored her. She’d heard some interesting news about Yaxley though and had patronused Harry, attempting to make amends. 

‘You need a happy memory Draco,. I know you have some, you always used to be happy to bully me’ she snapped. 

‘Whilst fun at the time they’re not happy memories, those are a bit few and far between Granger. Try having death eaters for parents and A half human dark wizard torturing people and killing them with snakes in your home’ he replied sarkily, attempting again and getting nothing. 

Nott and Zabini had largely zoned out, until snatches of her and Draco’s latest argument flashed across their conversation and they listened in eagerly. 

‘Oh right, because your parents were so hard to please. “Our daughters a witch, isn’t she clever?” ‘ He taunted her mockingly. 

He watched her eyes turn black as she pierced him with a glare that would wither even Voldemort. She went red, anger literally luring from every pore. 

‘At least you have parents’ she spat venomously. 

‘Yeah, because forcing their only son into servitude of the Darkest Wizard in return for buying favour is all the hallmarks of great parents’. 

‘At least they’re there’. He barely heard her whisper but it was there, her face crumpling in pain but her body standing tall.

‘They never got your parents Granger, what are you on about?’ he dismissed as she rounded on him. 

‘No, I did. I did’ she screamed, tears forming in her eyes, fire pooling begind them. She straightened, her posture tall and defiant but, crumpled at the same time. Zabini slumped next to Nott. ‘About to get interesting this, Granger’s lost it’ Theo remarked and Blair’s grinned. 

‘Brightest witch of our age, too bloody good at memory spells. At least your parents know you. Know you exist. They might have ridiculous expectations of you but you’re still there. Mine, mine don’t even know I exist. Aren’t even in the country’ 

She broke down on her arms, sobbing loudly and erratically. He stood rock still staring. 

‘Granger, what the fuck are you on about? You hid them right? I was sent to look but they were gone’ 

He was worried. He’d seen her angry, he’d seen her upset but never this emotional and close to losing it. Sparks were flying out her head. She looked possessed. She glanced up and launched at him, pommeling him hard. 

‘You’ she hissed, her fists flailing. 

‘Yes me, what? Better me than Yaxley. He had plans. I knew you’d have moved them, I was already a failure’. 

He grabbed at the arms that were landing heavy punches on him but missed. ‘You destroyed my home’ she screamed, laying into him harder, screaming, shouting and sobbing hard. 

‘Didn’t realise we’d get a show’ Nott remarked dryly. Draco glared at him sideways, before he tried to stop her again. That not working, he shouted at her loudly. 

‘Granger, stop’’. 

It didn’t work so he shouted, as loud as he could in her face.

‘HERMIONE’

She stopped, shocked by the sharpness of his voice and he grabbed her shoulders tight, pinning her arms into her side. She looked down, sniffling. 

‘Granger, look at me’ he demanded. 

She refused, doggedly keeping her head down but the sniffles stopped. 

‘What’s she pitching a bitch fit for?’ Theo remarked, deciding now was the time to amble over. 

‘Typical bloody mudblood, can’t control their emotions’ he said, disdain dripping in every word. 

Her head whipped up defiantly, glaring at him as silent tears coursed down her face. ‘Nott, for once in your life shut the fuck up’ Draco shouted at him. 

‘All touchy feely with the Mudblood now? Careful Draco, I can feel that inheritance trickling away’ 

He stood tall but suddenly he crumpled on the floor, Hermione giving a manic grin.

‘Granger’ Draco shouted in anger, stopping her as Theo gulped in big breaths of air. 

‘Fucking bitch cursed me’ he gasped. 

‘Don’t. Call. Me. Mudblood’

‘Ok’ He aquiesced surprisingly as Draco stared at him. 

‘I’ve been cursed many times before. She’s got balls. Don’t mess with her’ he said, staggering off the other side of the room. Draco’s shoulders dropped, Hermione was looking at him and he looked back at her searching her face. She was contorted in anger but he could see something else, pain. Pain etched deep and guilt? 

He sighed and tentatively released her as she stalked off to a dark corner. ‘Fuck off Theo, go back to your snivelling little hole’. 

He heard him start to reply but Blaise came and pulled him away so he walked after Granger. 

‘Go away’ she sobbed. 

‘Granger, what is going on?’ His voice was laced with kindness, he didn’t know where it had come from. There was silence but he stayed, waiting for her to speak. Eventually she appeared out the shadows, staring straight at him. 

‘I did it. I obliviated them. They don’t know me, they never will. Who do you know who’s come back from  
A memory charm? One powerful enough to erase a person? A complete person. I went home after, after Hogwarts and it was destroyed. Burnt to the ground. Everything, everything was gone’ 

She paused and looked up at him. 

‘You’ she choked and broke down sobbing again. Instinct caused him to raise his hand and brush the curls off her face, smooth the tears away with his thumb. She shrunk away slightly but didn’t recoil, instead fixing him with a strong glare.

‘I didn’t destroy your home Hermione. I went. They weren’t there. I tried to find them, I couldn’t’. 

He looked down, breaking eye contact. He didn’t have to tell her about the torture he had received when he’d returned empty handed. Idiots, he’d expected it but those idiots didn’t think they’d have hidden her parents. Of course she would have, an only child family was everything to her to.

‘Come on, we may as well do this now’. 

He dragged her over to the couches where Astoria, Megan, Daphne, Theo and Blaise were sat, shoving her down on the sofa next to Blaise. 

‘Oh yay, story time’ 

Theo clapped his hands together sarcastically before returning to his usual sullen face. Daphne was hugging Astoria close, the younger girl looked upset about something. Draco glared at them, wondering what was up with them two then defiantly sat next to Astoria. She shrunk away from him. 

‘Fine’ he shrugged, not really caring anymore.he turned to Hermione, who was sat shaking with silent sobs but defiantly glaring at him

‘Granger, I didn’t destroy your parent’s house. We knew, He knew it was a futile mission but my Father’ he spat that word’ was desperate to rebuild favour so sent me. The house was empty, I left’ he explained. 

She just stared at him, stony expression fixed in place. 

‘It’s true. This doesn’t mean I like you but I was there when he got back’. Blaise neglected to add the state Draco had been in when he’d stumbled back into the Slytherin common room that night. Luckily no one else had seen. A silent look passed between the two of them. Hermione was looking away, watching the dancing shadows around the room. 

‘It was Nott senior’ a small voice said quietly. ‘I overheard him, at Christmas. They were drunk, laughing and said Draco had screwed up so they’d gone and done it properly. I think your picture had been in the paper again that day’

Theo looked down after his uncharacteristic truth. 

‘Whoah, Theo, there was me debating if you were human and then you share that’ Megan taunted. 

‘Shut it’ He snapped back.

Granger visibly pulled herself together but it didn’t last long. 

‘I’m sorry Malfoy’ she said, breaking down again into uncontrollable tears.

‘I’m taking her to Potter’ he said, pulling her up. 

‘I thought they weren’t talking. Your little projects not working out so well is it?’ Theo commented. ‘

And he’s gone again’ Megan remarked, raising a small smile from the other two girls. 

‘Theo, seriously, I’m going to hex you again one of these days, or let her at you’ Draco returned as Blaise grinned chanting fight fight fight. 

‘Enough’ 

It was Astoria who’d shouted. 

‘Draco, take your lovebird home’ she spat. He glared at her then back at Hermione, as if making a choice. Abruptly he stood before pulling Hermione out the dungeon and up the corridor into the hallway. 

She regained some composure as they left and threw her cloak over her, following him as quietly as she could as he stalked angrily up the corridor. 

‘Come on’. 

She grabbed his hand and apparated him to a muggle Street. It was gone midnight. 

‘Here’ she whispered after digging in her bag, pulling out her hip flask.

‘Think you had enough earlier’ he replied, refusing her offer of firewhisky. 

She shook her head. ‘Never enough’.

‘Fuck me Granger, you not suffered enough torture in your life’ he said as he recognised where they were.

‘No’ she replied shortly. 

‘I hid it as best as I could but they still got here. They still broke it. They, I’m glad they’re out of it’ she whispered and silently starting sobbing again. 

‘Oh hell’ he said, pulling her in close and surveying the scene in front of him. The beautiful brick house he’d been to was gone, now a smouldering magical ruin. It looked like feindfyre had ripped through. He squeezed her tighter before apparating them into her living room, her too weak and upset to protest. She collapsed on her floor sobbing and wailing. He conjured a handkerchief and handed it to her. ‘

‘H-Harry’ she sobbed. 

‘I’ll get him. Pull yourself together’ he said sternly, getting on the floor next to her. She clung to him, sobs wracking through her body and he hesitantly stroked her hair. 

‘Piper’ he whispered and almost immediately an Elf appeared. 

‘Get Potter’ he commanded, pulling Hermione tighter for a moment then recoiling as two soft pops sounded in her living room. 

‘What on Earth is going on here’ Harry demanded, glaring daggers at Malfoy as Ginny rushed to Hermione’s side. Malfoy released her, letting her friend take over but Hermione clung to him, refusing to let go. Eventually Ginny prised her away and led her gently down to her bedroom.

Malfoy watched them go, then turned back to Harry who had just watched, his wand trained on Malfoy. 

‘Oh put it away Potter, I called you didn’t I? Granger’s into self destruction. Make sure she doesn’t. She’s useful’ he sneered back. 

‘What did you do to her?’ 

Harry’s voice was ice cold and he didn’t lower his wand. Draco shrugged. 

‘I did nothing. She dragged us to her parents house’. 

Harry could hear the indifference in Malfoy’s voice but his eyes gave him away, he was worried. He lowered his wand. 

‘Thank you’ He said quietly, so quietly Draco barely heard him. Do they all talk so quietly he thought as Harry turned and stalked off to the bedroom after Hermione and Ginny. 

He looked around and caught sight of a picture on the wall, Hermione and her parents. Obviously very happy. ‘That fucking bastard’ he muttered, shaking his head.

He heard his name and curious, followed Harry towards her bedroom, standing in the doorway. She was shouting again. 

‘You just don’t get it, you don’t’ she sobbed. Harry looked confused as Ginny tried to sooth her. 

‘Hermione, we’re here for you, any time’ Harry said. 

‘She’s right, you don’t get it Potter. She’s alone. You can be surrounded by people but still alone’. 

Hermione stopped shouting and looked up at him,those beautiful eyes wide and searching but he couldn’t meet them so looked away. 

‘Oh, Mione’ Ginny sobbed, hugging her tighter and crying silent tears. Hermione clung to her as Harry dragged Malfoy back down the corridor and into the kitchen. 

‘Was she with you?’ He asked roughly.

‘Yes Potter. He wasn’t there, don’t worry. Nothing more I can tell you, not right now. She’ he stopped, unsure whether to say the next bit. 

He wasn’t betraying her really, he was worried. Harry turned abruptly and started rooting in cupboards, eventually getting angry and waving his wand with an ‘accio chocolate’ set four cups on the go. 

‘She what, Malfoy?’ He asked. 

Draco noticed the tenseness in his voice but for once didn’t think it was directed at him. 

‘She cursed Nott. Wandlessly, so wasn’t very strong but was enough. She’s at breaking point’ 

Harry nodded, zooming a mug over to Draco, then leaning on the worktop and took a sip of his before speaking. He was shaking in rage and Draco was ready to jump to Hermione’s defence but he didn’t need to. 

‘That bastard. He’s ruined enough bloody lives. If I hadn’t already killed him I’d be doing it right now’. 

Draco looked surprised, he had the same sentiment just minutes ago. 

‘You’re not angry at her?’ 

‘No. I haven’t been at all. I haven’t dealt with it very well. It was always Hermione keeping us straight. Not us sorting her out. I don’t know what to do’ he admitted, as Ginny came back in. She crossed the room and sidled up under Harry’s arm. 

‘She’s asleep’ she said, glaring at Draco. 

‘What did you do to her this time?’ She demanded angrily, hands on hips. 

‘Nothing, Weaselette. Nothing. I keep bringing her back and you think it’s me? Sort your own friend out, she’s lucky I’ve been there each time’ he sneered, standing up tall. 

‘End this Potter. I can’t give you much more’. He walked out without a backward glance.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit fluffier this chapter-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, life really got in the way. I have two story arcs but no idea where to go next so it’s taking a while.

Hermione walked into the muggle hotel and looked around, completely surprised at the choice of venue but then again not so in the same breath. The hotel was one of the more upmarket ones she knew. It had an opulent grand lobby, beautifully decorated with a concierge discretely placed to one side and a sweeping wide staircase leading up to she presumed just as lavish bedrooms. She skirted round several upper class muggle ladies loudly declaring ‘it’s wonderful to see you darling, we must do this again sometime’ to each other, slightly drunkenly with loud accompanying air kisses and clattering of shopping bags. Overall it didn’t surprise her too much, after all, the Malfoy’s still had money but it was a far cry from their dingy cafe in a back street with the plastic booths and polystyrene cups and she felt almost a little nostalgic for . A movement caught her eye as Malfoy walked over towards her, and greeted her coolly. She understood his hesitation, he’d appeared more prominently in public the last few weeks as he recovered from the earlier scandal and was back to being hounded by the press. Again, the muggle hotel made sense. 

‘Miss Granger, good evening. May I escort you to our table?’ 

He refused to catch her eye, instead turning abruptly and leading to a table towards the back of the bar. It was dark and against a wall, for which Hermione was glad as they were hidden away mostly from view of most tables in the mostly empty bar. She glanced him up and down and was surprised to see him in a suit, Black of course. She sat down opposite him and covertly put up their usual enchantments before he relaxed. She put her hand on the table to root through her bag but slowly looked up when she felt his eyes burning into her. 

‘Who’s watching?’ She asked. She barely noticed the shake of his head before he spoke. 

‘No one. Can never be too careful though’. 

She went back to rooting in her bag for her paperwork, letting the silence wash over them. 

‘How are you?’ He asked gently. 

She was taken aback and stammered out a quick ‘fine’, a slow blush creeping up her cheeks. She’d been nervous about this month’s meeting, particularly when he’d owled her the change of venue. She’d purposely avoided him in the two weeks since her complete meltdown at her parent’s house, although she’d avoided everyone as much as she could really and retreating into her own shell, but was staring to shake off the funk of her two week episode she liked to call it and venture out again. 

‘You’re not, but for pretence sake I’ll take your answer’. He quickly put his hand on hers but withdrew it again quickly, as if suddenly changing his mind. 

‘Thanks’. Her sincerity was genuine. Ron had been tiptoeing around her, treating her like glass. Harry had blamed himself, and Ginny had been trying to jolly her up. It was exhausting. 

‘Shall we get on?’ She asked. He handed over his wand. 

‘Any news? How’s Theo?’ She asked quietly. 

‘Nothing. Haven’t seen anyone lately. You’re not supposed to worry about the people you curse, Hermione. As for your parents, I honestly didn’t know’ 

Hermione laughed gently, appreciating his bluntness. 

‘That’s the sincerest thing I’ve heard you say. And quite nice. Almost an apology’ 

He smirked back. 

‘I have some empathy with losing your parents over a ridiculous ideology. And, pretty impressive magic. Potter filled me in what you did’. 

Hermione glances around, changing subject. 

‘Why here?’ She asked. He took her reluctance to talk and changed subject gratefully as she scribbled answers to the questions on the paper and checked his wand simultaneously.

‘I have business. This place holds certain memories, although I think the last time I was here involved you too, although later and much less sober’ 

‘Well. Makes a change from lukewarm coffee in polystyrene’ she smiled wryly. 

‘Well, how rude. We don’t have drinks. Please excuse my manners’ 

He got up and left the table, heading over to the bar. Hermione took the opportunity to look around and watch him. There was a plump older gentleman who was watching him too, a slightly horrified look on his face but also a knowing one. He was a wizard, Hermione was sure. Interesting. He was definitely eyeing up Malfoy, who was making his way back to their table. 

‘You trust me with wine?’ She asked as he set a bottle and two glasses on the table. 

‘I’ve seen you drunk, and crazy many times now Granger. You don’t scare me’ 

‘You know that man is watching you?’ She indicated with her head to the old man and watched as Malfoy broke into a true smile. 

‘He’s a’ he paused, choosing his words carefully ‘business associate. I have a meeting with him afterwards. We’ve met before but didn’t part on the best of terms. We disagreed on a number of things, namely my role as a death eater so I left him bound and naked in one of the rooms upstairs, bar a modesty pillow’ 

Hermione looked shocked then burst out laughing. 

‘One of the haters you were talking about?’ 

He nodded, glancing over. The wizard surely could see through the notice me not seeing as he was looking for them. 

‘So, you thought you’d use me to curry you favour?’ Hermione asked. 

‘No. I can see it looks like that but he’s early. An hour early. I was fed up of our diner, and roughing it. I’m a Malfoy. We deserve better’

‘Careful Malfoy, you’d almost stopped the entitled pureblood crap’ 

‘It’s a money thing not a blood thing. I can be proud of my heritage even if they’re all a bunch of racist bigots. He’s a trader. He can get hold of certain things I need. Speaking of which, I’ve missed you’. 

He gulped, and drank a large sip of wine, eyeing her carefully. 

‘All the honesty tonight. Are you sure you didn’t take some veritaserum?’ She asked. 

‘Missed is strong. Noticed your absence’.

‘Sure Astoria feels the same?’ Hermione raised and eyebrow. There was definitely no love lost there. 

‘That bitch? Oh, she loved your breakdown, as she calls it’. He took another large gulp of wine, as Hermione set her glass on the table. 

‘I’m sure she did. All the more reason I visit again soon. Any mutual friends coming too? I need to check in on them’. She glanced up as the wizard who’d been watching them approached their table. 

‘Excuse me, I’m sorry but I couldn’t help but notice the pair of you here, and just had to come and introduce myself. Elvidge Gribble, Miss Granger. An absolute honour to meet you. But, please indulge an elderly gentleman. I must admit some curiosity as to your choice of companion’. He glared at Malfoy who stayed stoned faced. 

‘Good evening sir. I’m afraid I must disappoint you. My business with old school friends is exactly that. My business. I trust I can rely on your obvious good nature for your privacy?’ Hermione smiled a saccharine sweet smile and caught the laugh in Malfoy’s eyes, although his face didn’t flicker. Instinctively she reached out for his hand over the table, squeezing it and releasing it before looking up again. 

‘Of course, Miss Granger, you can rely on me. I have business myself with Mr Malfoy this evening. I shall leave you to conclude your activities. A pleasure, I’m sure’. He turned and walked away, as Hermione dissolved into fits of giggles. 

‘You really need to do business with him? He’s a pompous twat’ She asked, regaining her composure. Malfoy suddenly seemed withdrawn, more distant. 

‘Sometimes the end surpasses the means. Yes, I do’. 

‘Well, I’ll leave you to it. I’ve enough for my report, the official one anyway. Any movement let me know’. She stood, holding out her hand to shake. 

‘He’s watching right?’ Malfoy asked., taking and shaking her hand. Hermione nodded, her breath catching slightly as his grey eyes suddenly seemed lit by fire and her body wriggling in anticipation. 

‘Indulge me?’ He barely waited for her nod of reply before he grabbed her close and pulled her into him, gently kissing her cheek before releasing her just as quickly and turning and walking away.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *character death*
> 
> Trigger warning. Character death, torture, blood. Upsetting from the start of the chapter. There’s young children involved (they don’t die, I’m not that mean).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in two minds whether to take this story arc but it just lends itself to the story well as upsetting as I found it to write at the time. I don’t know if I bit off too much here but reviews will tell me!

A loud crack of apparition outside drew Hermione to her front door, seized but a sudden panic something must be wrong to apparate there. She opened the door cautiously, wand out but she was not prepared for what she saw when she opened it. Gasping at the huddle on her doorstep she quickly bent and grabbed the figure who in turn was cuddling a wrapped bundle. He was covered in blood in but that didn’t matter to Hermione as she yanked him through the door and immediately conjured a messenger patronus. Gently she bent down, and carefully took the small bundle from the shaking figure. 

‘Draco, this is a baby. Who’s baby?’ She asked carefully, cuddling the sleeping infant he reluctantly handed her, his arms almost giving way as he did so. 

‘P-pansy’s’ he croaked, dropping on the floor by the sofa as if his legs wouldn’t carry his weight.

She heard Harry appear through the floo behind her and turned, making sure he’d heard. She muttered a quick incantation under her breath, then turned back to Draco.

‘You can apparate’ she said without looking away, quickly motioning him off and he spun out of sight with a loud crack. She bent down to the figure on the floor, gathering him in as best as she could with the baby in one arm.

‘You’re safe, Draco, you’re safe’ she soothed, pulling his head in close and dropping a gentle kiss on his hair. It just felt right. She looked down at the baby.

‘Is this a magical sleep?’ 

She gestured at the sleeping baby who’d barely stirred. He nodded, briefly looking up before hiding his eyes. 

‘I’ll be back in a minute, I’ll put him in my room. He’s safe there’. 

She got up taking the baby with her. He looked peaceful, at rest. She walked down the corridor to her room and lay him carefully on the mattress, changing his bloodied outer blanket for a clean one, checking the baby was ok but it looked like the blood on him had come from where Draco had carried him. She stroked the baby’s head as he stirred slightly, then placed magical walls so he wouldn’t fall out her bed. Turning off the light, she made her way silently down the corridor and dropped back next to Draco on the floor, holding him tight to her.

Harry found the pair of them still sat there when he returned an hour later, covered in blood himself and a frown etched across his face. Draco had stopped shaking but had not uttered a word. 

‘She’s dead’ he growled, but Hermione knew he was angry at the situation, not the broken man sat cuddled into her. It felt odd, being the strong one for once, but suddenly right. She could do this. At Harry’s words though he seemed to pull himself together. 

‘Rodolphus. He, he made me go too’ he told them, his voice breaking but Hermione could see the effort it was taking him and hugged him tighter. 

‘I need to know it all Draco’ Harry said softly, sitting down next to him on the floor. Draco looked up and seemed to take in the odd circumstances. After a few minutes he spoke. 

‘A firewhisky, a shower and I need to see the baby’. He stated his terms and with some effort stood. Harry agreed and he started to move as a new voice interrupted him so he sank back down to his knees. 

‘Holy fuck, what the hell just happened. 

Harry silenced Ron with a look and Hermione pulled Draco back to standing. Taking his hand she led him down to the bathroom, flicking on the shower in her wet room and pushing him in it, still fully clothed. He stood under it, letting the water wash over him and watching the red stained river flow down the plug hole. 

‘Better?’ Hermione asked a few minutes in from her lounging post against the sink. He didn’t answer but started taking his clothes off and she turned to leave but instead he reached out and pulled her in with him. 

‘It is now’ he smiled weakly as she punched his chest in annoyance, but smiling too. He winced, clutching his ribs, grabbing onto the wall for support in obvious pain.

Slowly, she untucked his shirt from his waistband and pulled it up over his head instead of unbuttoning, gasping as she caught sight of the gash running from sternum round to his armpit. She traced it with her finger. It had been crudely healed, but was still raw and bleeding in places. 

‘Wasn’t quick enough for his liking’ he said wryly, grabbing her hands to stop her touching him. 

‘I’m going to get that absolute foul, evil’ she started as Draco cut in ‘loathsome little cockroach?’. 

She smiled sadly again in memory, looking straight at him but seemingly straight through him. Quickly he bent his head and kissed her, letting go of her hands and pulling her in close to him. She kissed back, water streaming right over both of them, filling their ears with the thunder of the shower. 

Draco broke away and grabbed her face in both hands, rubbing a smear of blood from her cheek. ‘Not now’ he whispered, burying his face in her hair. She understood and pulled away, kissing him chastely on the lips. 

‘Get clean’ she said, stepping out the stream of water and picking up her dropped wand, hastily drying herself. She headed back out to the front room as if nothing had happened after a quick peek at the slumbering child, her heart racing and cheeks flushed. 

‘Hermione, I’m heading home to get cleaned up myself. I need Draco’s statement, he’s not allowed to leave or I’ll have to track him down and it won’t be pretty. I’ll send Ginny over now. Ron, come with me. We’re all staying here tonight but I need you to go into work first’. 

He rattled off his orders and both nodded in understanding, not needing to speak or argue with him. He disappeared quickly and Hermione altered the protective spells to only allow them to apparate out, no one in. A ready Ginny appeared not many minutes later, dragging a big bag behind her.

‘I brought food’ she said by way of greeting, 

‘Miss Weasley, I love you’ Hermione replied, following Ginny into the kitchen. She hadn’t eaten and rarely remembered to have food in the house these days so was grateful.

‘You forgot to dry your underwear’ Ginny whispered to Hermione knowingly, who glanced down and saw the wet patches spreading across her clothes. Ginny waved a wand at her and dryed them, smiling at her friend.

‘You still have blood in your hair’ she told her, turning to magically unpack. 

‘I just put him in, haven’t had time to wash myself yet’ Hermione tried to persuade Gin but nothing got past that young lady. 

‘Well, you can go get him out again, and wash yourself. You’ve got ten minutes, then we all need to know what the hell is going on. Give these to Malfoy’. 

Appropriately dismissed with an armful of clothes as Ginny rearranged her kitchen, Hermione left and headed back to the bathroom where Malfoy was stood, a towel slung round his waist, staring at the bloodied pile of rags on the floor.

‘I’ve got some clothes’ she said gently, leading him into her bedroom and closing the door. She crossed the room to where he stood and pulled out her wand.

‘This might hurt’ she warned, placing the tip of the wand on his ribs and muttering a healing spell as she traced it round, the skin knitting together beautifully leaving just a pale pink line. She finished and stood staring at his chest, unable to take her eyes away, running her hand up and down his scar. She noticed some other pale, silvery scars and ran her fingers over those too, taking in every detail.

He was muscled, an impressive 6 pack on show, his skin tauntingly pale and damp from the shower. He had seven scars, one from left shoulder to right hip she assumed was Harry and his ill advised sectumsempra from 6th year. The new scar ran under his right pec. Then five smaller ones, dotted around. 

‘Buckbeak’ he said, grabbing her hand and taking it to his arm. She felt the tough scar. She’d laughed at the time and assumed he was overreacting but he did have a nasty scar. Didn’t mean he deserved it any less. 

‘Quidditch when I was 10’ 

He pulled her hand down to the scar on his hip bone. She brushed her thumb over it gently and subconsciously licked her lips. 

‘Glass from the chandelier’ he continued, grabbing her hand and pulling it up to his left shoulder, just below his collarbone where two small jagged lines sat. She laughed softly at that one. She hadn’t thought about him getting caught by that but he obviously had. She wondered idly if anyone else left behind had been injured too. 

‘Father’ 

He pointed to the last one, a hex burn just below the glass scars. That was the ugliest, like a spiders web criss crossing across his skin. She touched her fingers to it and swallowed loudly as a jolt of electricity shot through her, looking up into his eyes. They were close now, so close they could feel each other breathing, almost trance like when a movement from the bed made them both spring apart. 

‘Bobby’ Draco said, looking at the baby asleep on the bed. They both watched as he rolled over but peacefully kept sleeping. 

‘I’ll just get a shower, there’s clothes there for you’ Hermione gulped, pulling herself back together and almost running from the room.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gets a bit less heavy for the next few chapters. Eagle eyed viewers will not I had to take some liberties with the inbreakable vow, but it’s past tense and mostly detailing Draco’s involvement. He can incriminate himself. I’ve edited the wording slightly

By the time she got out the shower she could hear Harry talking back in the front room. Her bedroom had been empty so she’d run in and quickly gotten changed, checking on Bobby as she did so, not realising she was grabbing Malfoy’s quidditch jersey in her haste for comfy clothes.

She sped down the hall to the front room, taking in the sight in front of her. It reminded her of Hogwarts evenings in the common room, all cosy and warm but the added blonde head of the Slytherin, who looked completely out of place. There was a steaming mug of hot chocolate on the table, presumably for her. Ron was sprawled in one arm chair, seemingly legs and arms everywhere, dozing. Draco had the other, sat stiffly, upright, staring around nervously. Hermione sat on the beanbag by his knee, squeezing his thigh gently as she sat down opposite Harry and Ginny snuggled on the sofa. The latter raised her eyebrows at Hermione’s choice of outfit but said nothing more about it. 

‘What happened, Malfoy?’ 

Harry spoke gently, but she could hear the command in his voice. She noticed a quick quotes quill beavering away behind the sofa, but at least Harry’s was charmed to just dictate not ad-lib. 

Malfoy started talking quietly, stopping every now and then to rephrase a sentence. He’d been hanging out with Blaise and Theo, a man had pitched up and literally dragged him away. Watched how he’d made him ring Pansy’s doorbell, then as she’d answered stepped out of the shadows and forced his way in. In how reading her panic he’d silently summoned his house elf to take Bobby away when he’d been ordered to search the house, purposefully not seeing him. Malfoy then described how scared he’d been he’d find out that Piper had taken him but how the man had had a dangerous glint, a man obsessed and didn’t seem to care who or what he hurt.

He stopped for a second, taking a breath as if finding it painful to continue. He was on the edge of breaking his vow but was managing to skew enough of the story that the pain wasn’t hurting him too much. Hermione moved sideways, snuggling into his leg. He dropped his hand down to twirl her hair before continuing. 

‘There was laughter as lines were cut in her, torturing her for the information but she wouldn’t give him up. I couldn’t do anything, I was trapped just watching. She was cut deeper each time. She was screaming, asking for mercy but he didn’t stop. There was blood everywhere, I couldn’t do anything. He told me to do it but when I wouldn’t do it he cut me instead. I healed it best I could but couldn’t let him see too much. He just kept chopping and chopping with his wand as blood spurted out until she was too weak to answer and he realised she wouldn’t give him up anyway. Then he slit her throat and tore through the house but obviously he wasn’t there. I had to follow him, leave her with a pleading look in her eyes and act as if I didn’t care until he left me alone and disappeared so I could go back’

He gulped again as if fighting back the tears and took a long sip of chocolate. 

‘I went back in but it was too late, of course it was too late. I closed her eyes and hugged her and promised I’d look after Bobby and left her. I found some dreamless sleep in her bathroom and took it then went to meet Piper. I gave the baby some then brought him here. I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go’. 

Ron looked up, he hadn’t been aware of the baby. Hermione mouthed ‘in my room’ at him and he nodded his understanding. 

‘I can’t do it. I can’t watch more people die for something I don’t believe in’. 

He broke down, burying his head in his hands.

‘I’ll need your memory, to corroborate your story’ Harry said, breaking the silence. Draco looked up and nodded at him, before hiding his eyes again. 

‘The aurors are there. Her parents have disappeared, either to join Lestrange or go into hiding, but I’m guessing the latter . I have to go report to Kingsley now but suggest you go to sleep. Do you need a healer first?’ 

He hugged Ginny tighter who’d gone pale with Malfoy’s story. ‘What about the baby?’ She whispered.

‘I forgot about him’. Hermione jumped up and went to check on him but he was still sleeping soundly. 

‘I’m fine. As for Bobby he’s Pansy’s we guess, she disappeared one day then out the blue contacted us a few weeks ago. No one knows the father and it’s not me before you ask. I don’t know what to do but I couldn’t leave him. He’s just a baby’

His voice broke again and Hermione climbed into his lap, wrapping her arms round him. He buried his face in her hair and she could feel him shaking underneath her.

‘We’ll get him Malfoy. We have something tangible to pin him on now, I got a trace of him there and I’ve documented you working for us, so you’re covered. We’re making headway on the graves too, we have four possible locations. Do you need some sleep potion? Ginny brought some’. 

Malfoy shook his head. He didn’t want to be dulled by potion. 

‘I need to go see Theo and Blaise’ he tried, but Hermione pushed him down. 

‘You need sleep, we’ll go in the morning’. 

‘We’ll take Bobby to Mum tomorrow. She’ll love another baby to care for, and won’t ask too many questions. I can stay with her then whilst you three inevitably gallivant off again. Be good practice’ she said as Harry blushed deep red. It was lost on everyone else as they sat deep in thought, words seeming painful. 

‘I’ll go now, warn her. They’re home alone and not enough beds here anyway. Rather someone was with them, I shall strengthen their protection although I doubt anyone would think you came to us first. I’ll be back first thing. Don’t plan anything without me’ 

Ron got up and hugged Ginny, waving at everyone else and disappeared out the door to apparate to the Burrow. 

‘Come on Harry’ Ginny said gently. Hermione was still curled up on Draco’s lap so she pulled him down the corridor, leaving them too it. 

Hermione looked up as they left. ‘Come on, bed’ she said softly, pulling him up with her. He reluctantly got to his feet. 

‘Is it worth the Azkaban to just kill him now?’ He asked. Hermione took his hand and squeezed it hard, but didn’t let go. ‘No, we’ll get him. We’ll get all of them. We’ll double our efforts in the morning and we’ll find them. He’s either getting stronger or careless, but either way he’s not hiding as much anymore’.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this is a bit easier to read. It’s given me a great excuse to go read some others for inspiration. English was never my strong suit.

Hermione woke the next morning and subconsciously snuggled back into the warm body behind her before jumping in shock. That was definitely not Ginny and she’d not shared a bed with anyone in else in a long time.

‘Keep your hands to yourself Granger’ came a gruff voice and all the events of yesterday suddenly rushed back into her brain in one big flood. One thing in particular stood out.

 ‘There’s a baby in this room’.

None of them really had a clue what to do with a baby, so they’d fashioned him a bed of some sorts and left him to sleep off his potion, glad at least they hadn’t had to deal much with him in the early hours, but now it was morning.

‘Weaselette came in and got him 10 minutes ago. You were snoring. He woke up and started grumbling and she just appeared and took him for breakfast I think’.

‘So you got back into bed with me?’ She asked suspiciously.

‘It’s warm and cosy and I can forget I watched one of my school friends brutally murdered yesterday’.

His voice sounded hollow and she immediately regretted her words. She rolled over to look at him, shuffling slightly backwards as she did. She felt a little exposed sharing her bed with him, and a little uncomfortable despite it seeming inevitable the night before. They hadn’t discussed it, just assumed and gone to sleep without a word. Felt very different in the cold light of day and to her surprise she wasn’t entirely unhappy with it.

 ‘You’re a lot more human than you show to the world, aren’t you? Which is the act, this or the usual uncaring bastard?’

Malfoy smirked slightly but it didn’t reach his eyes.

‘I can count on by thumbs the amount of people alive who’ve seen me cry, and they’re both in this house right now. Funny how it’s you three, my once sworn enemies, who are the only ones to have seen my weakest side’

Hermione reached up and stroked his face gently, noting every feature as she did so. She’d not really been this close to him without screaming at him before. A tiny white scar above his eye, a small burn under his other, on his cheekbone. A cut running from cheek to behind his ear. He seemed to freeze up under her touch and she dropped her hand.

‘You kissed me yesterday’ she stated bluntly.

 He lent forward and kissed her forehead chastely.

‘A lot of things happened yesterday’ he replied dismissively, rolling away and sitting up.

She took a moment to stare at his back as he sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. More scars, that strange spidery one crossed under his armpit and up over his shoulder blade. She stared at it for a second before sitting up next to him and he spoke again.

 ‘I was weak. Hurt’

‘In need of human contact, and I was just there right?’

She interrupted him slightly hurt herself, standing up and away from him. She pulled his jersey back on over her pyjama vest top and tucked her feet into her slippers, shaking out her hair and putting it up. He watched her carefully, staying sat down.

‘Hermione, I’ He started but faltered.

‘You needed a human’ she replied.

She turned away and walked out the room before she could get embarrassed or say the wrong thing.

She felt like she was walking on a tight rope with him, one wrong word and they would tumble. She wasn’t sure at all what was going on, they’d suddenly catapulted from enemies to depending on each other deeply but not sure how to make it work in the open. They’d seen each other at their lowest points and that meant something to her.

 ‘Oh good, you’re up. I was going to drop Bobby at my parent’s. He’ll be safest out the way until we work out what’s best. Ron owled this morning, they’re waiting. I just wanted to see if Malfoy wanted to see him before I went’ Ginny said as Hermione entered the kitchen, cooing at the baby on her hip. She definitely looked a natural with him and he was smiling at her.

‘Probably. Go ask him’ Hermione said disinterestedly, pulling at a croissant laid on the table and pouring a cup of coffee.

 ‘What happened?’

 Ginny was suspicious, expecting the worst but not entirely sure what that would be.

‘Nothing Gin. He’s up. Take Bobby in to see him then go drop him off. Your mum will be ready to spoil him until we find him somewhere better to be. Or, well his family’.

 Gin walked out without a word, recognising Hermione’s need to process whatever it was on her mind. She took Bobby down to Hermione’s room as Malfoy came out.

‘What did you do to her?’ She accused, waving a finger at him.

‘Nothing that concerns your little mind weaselette’ he sneered.

‘Drop the bullshit Malfoy. We’re not 12 anymore. I’m taking Bobby to my parents. They’ll look after him. You go apologise to Hermione’.

‘I have nothing to apologise for’. 

‘You’re a man. There’s normally something you can apologise for, even if it’s just for being you. You have 20 minutes. Harry has gone to the Ministry, Ron and I will be back then’.

She waved Bobby’s hand bye and headed to the front door to apparate, that being easier with a baby than floo. Malfoy sighed and headed into the kitchen.

‘Put some clothes on’ Hermione hissed as he walked in topless although she couldn’t help but glance at his naked chest.

‘You have my jersey, the rest are covered in blood. I’m already wearing Potter’s trousers’ 

His reply was short as he poured himself a coffee from the pot, and sank down at the table opposite her, eyeing the shredded croissant. She pushed her plate away having not taken a bite and looked up at him.

 ‘Ron’s actually. You think Harry’s would fit? You’re about a foot taller than him’.

He stared at her incredulously, raising his eyebrows and trying not to look disgusted. She bit her lip and started pulling at her sleeve, not looking at him. Eventually he sat back in his chair and she was forced to look at him.

‘Eight inches taller. And I’m wearing Weasley’s clothes? It gets worse’ he joked weakly eventually.

‘You came here. We helped’ she stated bluntly. 

‘I hardly think tipping up at home or Nott’s with a baby Rodolphus was searching for would have gone down well. Particularly as neither knew his existence and I’d like to keep it that way. If Rodolphus found out...’ he left the words unspoken.

They were disturbed by an owl knocking on the window. Hermione stood up and paid the owl, taking the paper from his leg.

 ‘It’s front page’ she said, spreading the paper out in front of her.

He stood up and read over her shoulder, putting his hands either side of her on the table. She could feel his breath on her ear, it was sending shivers down her spine but she dragged her concentration back to the paper and ignored him. The story outlined how aurors had turned up to question Pansy as part of an ongoing investigation and had discovered her bloodied body. There wasn’t much information and thankfully nothing about Bobby.

‘Quite tame really. Prophet is losing its touch’ Malfoy sighed in her ear.

 She pushed back to stand, making him stumble backwards away from her.

‘Harry leaked it to them, providing they only printed what he let them, so they didn’t incriminate you.’

She walked out the room and into the bathroom without a backward glance, leaving him stood confused in the kitchen.

She was halfway through her shower when he hammered on the door then when she didn’t answer unlocked it, walking in. She squealed and grabbed her towel, screeching at him.

‘Malfoy, what the fuck are you doing?’

He looked at her without talking, then as quickly as he appeared turned on his heel and disappeared. He had no idea why he’d barged in on her shower and she wasn’t sure either. Some crazy sense had taken over him but he didn’t know what.

 He headed into her bedroom and picked up her discarded jersey, well his really still here from when she’d been to his flat and they’d been researching pointless spells until the early hours. He shrugged it on and inhaled, it smelt of her. He took another, long deep breath breathing in the sweet scent until he noticed her coming in the bedroom behind him. He shrugged his jersey off and handed it to her without looking.

‘Looks better on you’

She took it and held it close to her, before throwing it on the bed.

‘What will you wear though?’

He took a t-shirt off a pile on her chair and enlarged it, pulling it on with a grin.

‘You look ridiculous’ she laughed. She couldn’t keep up with his ever changing moods. He went from playful to teasing to sincere to broody to argumentative in seconds. It was exhausting.

‘Put some clothes on Hermione’ he echoed her words from earlier that morning. She stuck her tongue out at him childishly as they heard the floo activate and Harry call through the flat.

‘I’ll go see what he wants’.

She stood staring after him, completely confused as he walked out the room. She suddenly remembered what she was doing and quickly dressed. Scraping her wet hair back into a ponytail, she put her ‘field’ clothes on as she liked to think of them, ready for the inevitable taskings that would be heading her way. With a deep breath and a quick glance in the mirror she headed out into her front room.

‘I’ve told Ginny to stay with Molly today. Ron is at Parkinson’s house, trying to see what he can get from there. Hermione, I need you at work as normal. We can’t raise suspicion too much. Malfoy, I need to see Nott and Zabini. The Parkinson’s are missing persons. You either need to take me or get them to meet me somewhere’. 

Harry was blunt and officious, grown up and in control Hermione thought. Malfoy regarded him then nodded slowly.

 ‘I need to go home first Potter. And I want protection for Mother. She’s vulnerable. In return, I’ll work on getting the Black family burial site for you. I can’t promise anything though but I’m fairly sure that’s where he’ll be hiding. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t trying to resurrect Bellatrix’. 

‘I’ll have to see what I can do, obviously we’re a little short of aurors. I’ll meet you here at 12’.

Harry flopped down on the sofa and Malfoy took that as his cue to leave, turning from the room.

 ‘Here’ Hermione said, waving her wand over his clothes and transfiguring them into something more Malfoy-ish.

‘And you couldn’t have done that last night?’

‘More fun seeing you in Ron’s clothes’ she retorted, sitting down opposite Harry. He turned and left the flat, slamming the front door as he left.

 ‘Hermione, what is going’ Harry started but Hermione cut him off.

‘Nothing Harry, nothing at all’

‘You two looked pretty cosy’ he remarked, closing his eyes. It had been a late night and early morning.

‘Nothing, Harry. Drop it. Fill me in on this morning’.

 He spent half an hour updating her on his meetings with Kingsley and Robards, the head of the aurors, and what they’d found so far at Pansy’s although it wasn’t a lot.

‘I need you to find out, discretely about Bobby. I’ve a feeling he’s key here, why was he a secret? There was literally no trace of him at her house bar his room, which was tucked away out of sight. There’s no pictures or anything of him at her parent’s house and few of her, so either they didn’t know or chose not to’

Hermione agreed and stood up but Harry stayed sitting.

‘We’re missing something here. I don’t like it. They’re smuggling potions ingredients and searching for a child. It’s not their usual ‘kill all the mudbloods’ stance. I don’t like it’

 Hermione looked thoughtful.

 ‘I can’t put my finger on it yet. We need to find out who Bobby is. I saw Pansy not long ago and she didn’t look like she’d just had a baby’.

Both sat quiet for a minute.

‘You seem more yourself ‘Mione’ Harry stated as they got up to leave.

She blushed deep red. ‘I need a challenge’ she replied, heading over to the fire and disappearing off to work.


	15. Chapter 15

Draco stormed away from Hermione’s flat and apparated as soon as he could duck down an alleyway out of sight. Landing on the drive of Nott Manor he marched up the steps and clattered noisily through the big front doors, into the even bigger entrance hall. He strode around, shouting loudly for Theo, or Blaise. Or anyone really. Nott Manor was almost as big and equally as ostentatious as Malfoy Manor and he knew the house almost as well as his having spent a lot of time there, at first as a child and then after the war as Theo made the estate his own. Malfoy Manor had his mother rattling around on house arrest so with Theo’s father locked up indefinitely leaving an empty house the Slytherins tended to congregate there and he was sure he’d find someone in. Blaise has moved in to avoid his mother, and Daphne often stayed over with one or both of them. Draco didn’t want to know. Wasn’t really his scene. 

‘Nott, get your arse here now’ he shouted furiously, storming from room to room until he found him and Blaise sat in front the fire in the massive drawing room. They were sat in silence in the big cosy leather sofas with a glass each in hand and a half empty bottle of fire whisky hovering above the little table in front of them, an empty one already on the floor. He slumped down on the sofa next to them whilst they both stared stonily ahead into the flames.

‘It’s 10am’ he said eventually, breaking the silence and taking Nott’s glass from his hand and downing it, holding it out again for a refill but not taking his eyes from the dancing oranges and yellows in the fireplace. It seemed soothing to them all, watching the flames flicker in and out. 

‘Pansy was murdered’ Zabini replied bluntly, downing the glass he had and holding it out shakily for Theo to refill from the bottle he’d grabbed. He did so, then realising he didn’t have his own glass swigged straight from the bottle.

‘Were you there? Theo asked. Draco didn’t answer, instead not changing his gaze and refusing to make eye contact. He was afraid he’d cry again if he did, and he just didn’t do that in front of others. His ability to mask his emotions was wearing thin though and his stoic face gave it away.

‘I’ll take that as a yes then. What the fuck was his problem last night? He was on a rampage. Man’s fucking unhinged’

Before he’d dragged Draco out Rodolphus had come storming in, stomping around in anger, hexing one of the girls and smashing some of the furniture. Theo and Blaise had quietly tidied up once he’d dragged Draco off and waited up all night for him to return. News travelled fast and they’d read the prophet that morning.

‘He’s after something’. Draco was careful how much he told them, he wasn’t going to divulge the secret of Bobby yet. If Rodolphus was looking for him the more people who knew the greater the danger. The other two boys weren’t quite as skilled at occlumency as he was and he didn’t want any of them being caught unawares. They sat in silence again, slowing down on the fire whisky slightly. 

‘What happened Draco?’ Blaise asked quietly after a few moments. Theo sat up slightly taller and tried to make it look like he wasn’t oth were keen to know but didn’t want to push Draco. 

‘Rodolphus is a sick bastard. He killed her. You don’t need to know more. It wasn’t quick and it wasn’t pretty’. Draco put his head in his hands, fighting off the memories of the night before. He fought them back into the box he’d put them in that morning in his mind and willed them much more strongly to stay there. Better left shut away. He shivered involuntarily, as Theo spoke again. 

‘Aurors got there pretty quick, wouldn’t you say? Almost as if they were tipped off. And what the hell are you wearing?’ Theo asked suspiciously, as Draco glanced down .

‘That bitch’ he cursed, noticing his clothes had changed back to his borrowed mismatched outfit. Hermione’s idea of a joke, no less. Glad he hadn’t gone home, there would have been severe punishment if his mother had caught him anything less than impeccably dressed. 

‘Well I guess that confirms where he went last night although can’t say I’m surprised’ Blaise remarked to Theo, as they both fell about laughing hysterically, the sight of Draco breaking the tension. Hermione’s t shirt was much too small for him and he looked fairly stuck as he tried to wriggle out of it but failed.

‘I was plastered in Pansy’s blood, of course I borrowed clothes’. He snapped, wriggling more but not getting anywhere.

‘Are those Weasley’s?’ Blaise asked, tears running down his face.

Draco stood up angrily. ‘How the fuck you work that out?’ 

‘Oh come on, Potter is a foot shorter than you and they’ve got holes in. Of course they’re Weasley’s. It didn’t take a genius to work out you didn’t go to Astoria, even though school’s out. What’s the deal there anyway?’ 

‘Pansy was brutally murdered and you’re more interested in my love life? How about we concentrate on how we stop that bastard. I seem to be the only one doing anything!’ Draco shouted angrily, slamming his glass into the wall. 

‘When you’ve finished destroying my property, I’ll tell you what I know and prove you’re not the only one doing anything’ Theo said drily, calling for his house elf and a sober up potion as he did so. 

The elf appeared and was quickly dispatched to make breakfast for the three, and fetch better clothes. Luckily Theo and Draco were both similar sizes and shapes,. Malfoy stayed silent, taking the clothes as they were brought and disappearing into the antechamber to change. He incinerated the pyjama trousers and t shirt as he did so. He’d buy Hermione another one. Or hundred, he didn’t really care. Weasley would have to do without. No chance he was replacing his clothes.

He walked back out to see three plates of steaming food set on the little coffee table and the Elf messing around with the fire. He thought back to their conversation and something was puzzling him. 

‘School’s out? What do you mean?’ 

‘It’s Easter, it’s late this year’ Blaise told him matter of factly. Theo glanced up. 

‘You know you’re getting engaged in two months right?’

‘To Astoria bloody Greengrass, yes’

‘Don’t you think you should, make an effort? Sound a little more thrilled about it. She is quite the catch really’ Theo put his plate down and sat back. ‘After all, you don’t want her to go crying to Zabini. He’s going to start getting a reputation like his mother’ 

Blaise grinned, and threw a cushion at Theo. ‘I only plan to marry once. Until then though, I wouldn’t say no’ 

‘Do Zabini’s do anything but think with their dicks?’ Draco snapped. 

‘Then again, I could go after Granger. She’s unhinged too, a nice challenge don’t you think and fuck is she hot. My family don’t care about who I marry’. Blaise glanced up at Draco and watched his face change.

‘Leave her alone’ he said dangerously, grabbing his wand. 

‘Protective over the wrong one there Draco. If I cared I’d say you’re dangerously close to blood traitor. Persecution for it shouldn’t happen but can’t see Daddy letting you keep your inheritance’. Theo raised his eyebrows and stared, watching the anger rise in his friend. 

‘Fuck off Theo’. 

Draco stood up quickly, glaring at them both, an angry stance and his hand on his wand. Theo regarded him then sat back into the sofa, smiling. 

‘Do you want to know what I found out yesterday then?’ 

Draco took two deep breaths, catching a faint trace of Hermione’s scent as he did so which was strangely calming. His mind whipped up an image of her asleep in front of him, all peaceful and calm. He pushed it from his mind, closing it down again. He sat back down, intrigued with what Theo claimed he’d found.

‘I was perusing my expansive library, concentrating on the family history section to decide which book to secretly blow up next when one in particular caught my eye. A Lesser Known History of the Sacred 28. I had a flick through, some very interesting dirt on your grandfather Malfoy, like did you know he had an affair with Walburga before they were both married? No? Anyway, I had a look at the Black family page and found an interesting tidbit. In 1767, Amaracus Yaxley borrowed a substantial amount of money, secretly, from this family incidentally, only he lost it all and couldn’t pay it back. He sold everything of importance to try and repay the debt, but it wasn’t enough. So, he played a trick. He told Orfidian Nott that he knew Corvus Black was buried with his infamous signet ring, and it contained a black ruby. If he found it, he could have it and they would be even. Well, Orfidian was a greedy bastard so went and dug up the grave. True enough, the signet ring was buried with Corvus and Orfidian stole it, but the ring carried a curse. Orfidian was killed and the Blacks placed their burial site under as much protection as they could to prevent anyone else desecrating their graves. Only a Black can tell someone where it is and you can only get in there with a Black or the ring. The signet ring. So he either has it or is looking for it. Although how was Bellatrix buried?’

Theo wound up his little story and beamed all round, pleased at his little clever discovery. Blaise whistled. 

‘She was put in a box and Mother vanished her somewhere. I assumed the Black burial plot, we were on house arrest awaiting trial at the time. I was surprised they let us have her to be honest. The rest were all in Azkaban or hiding so was just us there. Crazy bitch she was. Her and Rodolphus were well suited. Glad they never..... oh fuck’ 

He stood up abruptly, clattering his tray to the floor as he caught sight of the clock.

‘Potter wants to meet with you. We’ll go to the cottage in Teignmouth. I’ll meet you there at 1205. Bring that book’ 

He swept out, not bothering to check if they would be there or not. 

***  
Harry looked around the dark little cottage. He supposed it would be quite beautiful all done up, it reminded him of shell cottage. 

‘You’re brave Potter. You’ve come alone’.

Nott spoke from the shadows, coming forward as he did so. 

‘I think I’ll be ok. After all, if Malfoy gifts me such memories as those of him snivelling like a girl then I have a bargaining chip for his protection’.

He saw the corners of Nott’s mouth turn up and was shoved forwards by Malfoy’s wand digging hard in his back. He glared at the blonde wizard behind him before turning back to the tall wizard in front of him. It was slightly intimidating but Harry didn’t let that bother him as Nott spoke. 

‘The boy who lived has a sense of humour. Who knew?’ 

He sat down and gestured Harry to do so too, summoning an elf and ordering tea. Zabini flopped down in the chair to the right by the stifling fire. Malfoy stayed standing behind the chairs, glaring at Harry. 

‘You don’t frighten me’.

‘No, after facing off Voldemort I think most situations would be less intimidating’. Nott’s voice was dripping with gentle sarcasm. Blaise lazily chewed on gum, sprawling himself over the arms of the chair but Harry didn’t miss the wand hanging idly at his side, ready.

‘You wanted to meet us? You’re here’ Nott stated, as the elf reappeared with a tray of tea and biscuits. Draco caught Harry staring at it and hissed at him, reminding him they may be Slytherin scum but unlike others they still had manners and were perfectly good hosts. 

‘Now now Draco, civil includes manners. Don’t be rude to your guest’ 

Nott was superior and in control despite this being Malfoy’s house, reminding Harry of tea with McGonagall and the unexpected biscuits at Hogwarts. Zabini was desperately trying not to laugh, Harry could see him shaking with the effort. Eventually he lost it and burst into fits of giggles, excusing himself and rushing from the room. 

‘To what do we owe this pleasure, Potter’. His voice was teasing. Harry recognised the futility of being here and thought quickly before he spoke, not letting the Slytherin rile him up. 

‘Information’ 

Nott considered him slowly. ‘I’m sure my good friend here explained our...situation’ 

Harry nodded, leaving the silence. It was a trick he’d learnt, leave the silence and someone will fill in the gap. At least hopefully, Nott and Malfoy didn’t seem inclined to talk. Eventually though Nott spoke. 

‘I cannot help you there. Now, if you’ll please excuse me I would just like a private word with my dear friend here’. 

Nott stood up, making a big show of putting a book on the table. He pulled Malfoy from the room, heading out the same door they’d all come in. Harry watched as they left, furiously whispering at each other then quickly opened the book to the bookmarked page. He copied the text onto a piece of parchment and hurriedly closed the book as they came back in. 

‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left that lying around’. Nott busied himself picking up the book, noting it had been moved slightly. ‘Now, Potter. I’m sure you’re extremely busy. I’d like to catch the bastard that killed my friend myself. Zabini and I can provide an alibi for each other, and can be corroborated by our house elves if you so need’. 

Harry acknowledged him but didn’t speak, instead finishing his tea and standing up. 

‘That won’t be necessary at present. I can see myself out. I can see there’s nothing further for me here’ he said, ‘thank you for your time’. 

He turned on his heel and walked out the door, giving a curt nod to Zabini as he walked back in. ‘Leaving so soon Potter?’ He said, the first time Harry heard him speak but he ignored him. Copied parchment in pocket he slipped out the door and immediately apparated back into the Ministry.


	16. Chapter 16

Hermione was in her favourite place, the research library at the Ministry of Magic when Harry returned. He said a quick hello then noticing her calm demeanour and the fact she appeared the most like herself than she had been in years he left her working and headed up to his office to look over the parchment he’d copied from the book. He knew Hermione would want to delve all over it and he wanted to get a look in first. 

She had been busy that morning, clearing her usual work quickly before starting her research. There were a surprising number of wizarding births around the time they thought Bobby was born. It seemed the end of the war had sparked a wizarding baby boom and with the muggle population increasing the number of muggle borns were increasing too. Hermione allowed herself a small chuckle as she noted Victoire’s name on the list. There had been lots of family jokes about exactly how Bill and Fleur had celebrated as Victoire had appeared almost exactly 9 months after the end of the war. 

She sighed as she noted precisely how many names there were. 37 magical births in the six month window they’d chosen that morning. They would need to visit everyone who had a boy until they found the rightful parents, although recording of muggleborns wasn’t always easy as they didn’t appear until after accidental magic is shown. She groaned, she could do with a large drink and without having to go and interview 19 sets of parents, seven of whom were muggleborn. She could take Ron she supposed, be good to have some back up and someone along for the ride and she’d missed him lately. She copied out the names dutifully, then headed back up to her office where her assistant was sat outside waiting, jumping nervously as she saw Hermione approaching.’

She was a timid girl, she was year above Hermione at Hogwarts but had only just started at the Ministry and seemed very pleased with her position. She was a Hufflepuff and loyal to a fault to Hermione, a war heroine in her eyes who could do no wrong. Hermione found it equal mixes endearing and suffocating. 

‘Amelia, I’ll be heading out again soon. I need you to find addresses or locations for these people’. She handed her list over and swept into her office, taking a seat and putting her head in her hands. 

Seconds later there was a quiet knock on the door. ‘Come in’ she called as a shy Amelia stuck her head round the door. 

‘I can tell you a few of these, some were in my year. The rest I can find and owl to you?’

Hermione nodded and grabbed parchment and quill. ‘Go’ she said as Amelia rattled off the locations of 6 of the families listed. 

‘Excellent. I’ll be out all day. Find me the rest as best you can and don’t tell anyone what you are doing’. Amelia’s face lit up. ‘Am I helping?’ She asked, excited to be involved. Hermione’s heart wept, how could anyone want to be involved in war, be excited by it? She sighed heavily before responding, trying not to knock all the girl’s enthusiasm.

‘Yes, you’re helping. This is secret work. You don’t tell anyone what you are up to, except Harry or I’ 

She picked up her cloak and wand as Amelia left, and headed outside onto the streets of London for some fresh air before trundling over to Pansy’s house to pick up Ron. She stopped off and bought some sandwiches, Ron was more likely to be pleasant company if he’d been fed. She ducked down a side alley to apparate, checking no one could see her as she disappeared. 

***

‘How do, Miss Granger?’ 

She was greeted at the perimeter by a big burly wizard by the name of Jeremiah Jenkins. He was getting close to retirement age and was almost a self appointed ‘protector of crime scenes’. He would travel with the aurors and maintain the boundaries, claiming these ‘whippersnappers’ could do all the investigation work as he was getting too old, and he’d keep everyone out. He’d never been the best auror so this worked out well, kept him busy and as Harry said ‘out of the way’. 

‘Here, I’ll let you in. Mr Weasley is inside’. He opened up the magical barrier for her to cross, before turning back to the lonely reporter sat waiting and carrying on their conversation. She guessed they’d got to know each other quite well over the years of Jeremiah protecting the aurors work and the reporter trying to sneak peaks. 

She found Ron inside looking grim, dusty, and covered in specs of blood. They’d obviously placed a smell removing spell as this much blood should be stinking but she couldn’t smell anything. It was everywhere. Hermione gulped and felt sick, her mind playing out the scene she imagined had happened and she felt terrible for Draco having been forced to watch it. No wonder he’d been so affected. He’d told her it took him right back to those two years with Voldemort he’d rather forget when they’d had a muttered conversation in the middle of the night. She’d shuddered and snuggled in tight, and was glad she had now seeing the devastation. Ron spotted her and walked over. 

‘We’ve not found much. I examined the bedrooms myself and sealed them. Nothing unexpected. The kitchen was empty and not very well stocked. I didn’t find a bag but my impression is she was wanting to leave. I’ve found traces of two wands but can’t determine who of course. There’s two types of magic here. Hermione’ he cut off, catching her as she fainted. 

He carried her outside and she cane round in the fresh air. ‘You haven’t eaten have you?’ He asked. 

‘Oh, sandwiches’. She borrowed in her bag and pulled them out, handing one over to Ron, apparently not phased by fainting as if it happened all the time. It hadn’t but that much blood and not having eaten since the day before was taking its toll. 

‘I’m done here, you don’t need to see this’ he mumbled through his sandwich. 

‘I’m ok, just all that blood. I can see why..’ she let her voice trail off and shivered. 

‘Yeah, I felt for the bastard too when I got here’. 

She gave a faint smile, nibbling at her sandwich, not saying anything. 

‘Come on. Let’s swing by The Burrow. I need a shower and clean clothes. You can distract mum so I can get upstairs without her seeing. I usually go to Harry’s but you haven’t been by in ages and daresay mum will have something to say about the wedding on Saturday’.

‘Ok’ she groaned quietly, making to stand up thinking it was probably a good idea. She’s forgotten the wedding in the last few days but hadn’t been that involved up till now. Too wrapped up in her own misery. It particularly hurt that her mum had been so excited to see her get married and Hermione had robbed that chance from her. Wrong. Voldemort has made her steal that from both their futures. Ron stirred her from her reverie. 

‘Finish your sandwich first. I know you all joke about my love affair with food but you are skin and bones and need to eat’. 

She dutifully finished her sandwich, tipping up the empty packet to prove she’d eaten it making him laugh. 

‘I don’t do the talking stuff well, so my job can be making sure you eat’. He pulled her into a side hug but she fought him off laughing. 

‘Ron, you’re covered in blood’. He grinned goofily, standing up and offering a hand. She at least allowed him that to help her up. He shouted over to Jeremiah.

‘Oy, Jenkins. We’re off. Let us out? I don’t fancy the prophet’ 

He got a thumbs up from the old wizard and promptly disapparated to The Burrow grabbing Hermione’s hand as he went. 

***

‘Hermione!’ Molly shouted loudly and pulled Hermione into a bone crushing hug almost seconds after she’d arrived. Hermione wondered how she knew so quick but of course, the clock. Once the truth about Hermione’s parents was out Molly had taken her under her wing and added both her and Harry to the wonderful kitchen clock. 

Hermione struggled to breathe for a second then relaxed in the older woman’s embrace. It reminded her of her mum and she struggled to hold back the tears.

‘It’s been too long, let me look at you. Did I hear Ron? Probably filthy with all sorts and didn’t want me to see. Here, let me look at you. My word, you’re skin and bone. Let me get you some lunch’ 

Molly bustled around and Hermione smiled, wondering why she had stayed away so long. This place was comforting and homely and welcoming and Molly so lovely. Molly was chatting away as she set some pans cooking and despite her sandwich Hermione felt her stomach rumble in anticipation of lovely food. 

‘We can’t stay long Mum, but lunch is always appreciated’

Ron ambled back in and dropped into the chair next to Hermione, squeezing her shoulder gently as he passed. She turned and smiled at him.

‘Should have known you wouldn’t turn down food’, 

He grinned his goofy grin back at her and she clipped him affectionately round the ear. 

‘Well, you only bought me a measly sandwich. Of course I need more food. Hey mum, where’s the baby?’ 

He turned to his mum and looked around, as if he’d just overlooked him and he was hiding somewhere.

‘Ginny’s taken him for a walk. He was starting to get a bit fractious. He’s such a lovely boy, reminds me of someone and I just can’t think who’. She dusted her hands on her apron but had Hermione thinking. 

‘If you remember let me know. We’re trying to find his parents. Thanks for looking after him Molly. It’s a relief, I mean I know we have Teddy but none of us are really equipped to care for a baby’ Hermione said, delicately tucking into the soup Molly places down in front of her as Ron tore chunks off a loaf of bread and slathered them in butter for her. She rolled her eyes at him as Molly responded to her. 

‘Pleasure dear. With Victoire and Teddy here so often we’re well set up. I miss the bustle of babies’. She sighed wistfully, staring at Ron. 

‘Don’t look at me mum. Can barely look after myself’ Ron muttered, spraying crumbs over the table. 

‘Well, meet a nice girl, settle down, you never know. I was younger than you when I had Bill’. Ron looked at her darkly. 

‘I’m not in the line for thousands of children. Best be off mum’. He finished his soup and stood up, not missing the fact Hermione had barely even taken a bite of hers. He kissed Molly on the cheek. ‘We’ll be back later, help set up the marquee’.

They made their way outside, heading down the garden to get clear of the enchantments to Apparate. 

‘First stop, Oliver Wood’ Ron said, consulting the list. He turned back to Hermione who was stood looking wistfully at the Burrow. ‘Come on, I’ll side along you’. Hermione grabbed his hand and they disappeared with a loud crack.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did someone say a wedding?

A parcel landed on Hermione’s bed with a thump and she was woken by bright light streaming in as her curtains were abruptly flung open. She squinted against the light, her face screwed up unattractively as she tried to figure out who had woken her so rudely but their face was hidden in shadow with the bright light behind them. 

‘Up Granger’ a voice barked. 

That would be Malfoy then. She groaned and rolled over. What was he doing in her room anyway? She subconsciously burrowed right down below the covers and ran her tongue over her teeth to make sure they were clean, then flicked her mind over what she was wearing as quite frankly the hangover kicking in probably meant she was none too sober when she went to sleep. Trousers, no, top, yes, bra, no. She wriggled under her duvet deciding it was best to stay under the covers. Besides, if she ignored him he might go away. It was all a dream anyway, at least she hoped. Although dreaming of Malfoy was not something she wanted to be doing, however civil they were to each other now. She was drawn out her reverie by an impatient voice.

‘Up’

She squinted at the parcel on the bed, reaching for her wand and magically opening it, curious to see what was inside, her brain slowly sifting through the fog of a hangover. She unfolded swathes of material and levitated them up. It was a beautiful dress, a deep grey colour made from the most opulent fabric she’d ever seen. She picked up the glimmering fabric and let it slide through her fingers, feeling how soft and smooth it was. She vaguely recognised it but couldn’t picture it just yet, cursing the undoubtedly muggle tequila that led to this level of cloudiness. She looked round for Malfoy but he’d disappeared. 

‘What is this?’ She asked as he reappeared with a glass of water for her and handed it over wordlessly. 

‘I remember you telling me at great length yesterday about a wedding you have to go to today?’ He raised his eyebrows at her.

‘Shit Malfoy, what time is it? 

She sprang out of bed, cursing at him as she ran round the room grabbing anything and everything as realisation hit of what day it was.

‘I can’t believe you dragged me out drinking last night. Why did I agree? I thought we were stopping anyway?’ She cursed, her memory suddenly flooding back to her as she spotted various items of clothing strewn on the floor and remembering stumbling in. 

‘Tell anyone and I will curse you to Avalon’. His voice was warning, a serious undertone to it.

‘Like anyone would believe you show up in my flat at 10pm and drag me out to muggle clubs. What time did we get in?’ She paused in her furious gathering of clothes and took a proper look at him. His eyes were bloodshot, he had stubble which she’d never seen on him before. His hair was messy and his face looked pained. He was half sitting, half leaning on her windowsill. 

‘4am. Maybe? I don’t know’.

She walked over to him, sitting next to him on the windowsill. He looked down, looking intently at his hands not making eye contact with her. He’d appeared somewhat drunk at 10pm the night before, stumbling about. He’d insisted she go with him to a muggle bar. She hadn’t needed much persuading and they’d spent the night downing their sorrows. Neither had needed to talk, they each understood the need for escapism but neither found it. Just a headache to rival all headaches and a foggy memory.

‘I won’t tell. I haven’t yet. Did you sleep?’ She asked gently, looking down at the same spot on the floor he was. It was ever so slight but she saw the shake of his head. 

She quickly squeezed his hand, then caught sight of the clock. 

‘Fuck fuck fuck, I’m supposed to be at Ginny’s in 10 minutes’. 

She jumped up and ran straight into the bathroom, leaving him shaking his head with a small smile. 

‘What would you have done without me Granger?’ He shouted after her, she could hear the smile in his voice though. He heard the shower come on as she shoved her head out the door. 

‘What do you care anyway? It’s Harry’s wedding’ 

He walked over to the door and she closed it tighter leaving just her head in the gap. He chuckled inside at the thought she hadn’t really thought it through and was probably naked behind the door. She narrowed her eyes at him, looking up. He sighed, stroking the bit of face he could see. 

‘And there’s me thinking I might get your plus one’. He sighed, looking right at her deeply. ‘Granger, I don’t care about him’ he said, walking away. She stared after him for a second before quickly drawing her head back in and shutting the door.

He was gone when she emerged out the bathroom, but there was a hot coffee and a hangover potion sat on the kitchen table for her. 

***

‘Where the hell have you been?’ Ginny was flapping as Hermione appeared through the fire at the Burrow about five minutes later. The place was a hive of activity behind her. Hermione could hear Molly running around upstairs, and there were people milling about out the windows. Ginny appeared to be alone in the kitchen though nursing a cup of tea. Hermione reassured her, she looked really nervous.

‘I’m here now, I’m only a couple of minutes late’ 

‘Are you ok?’ Ginny looked concerned. The Hermione she knew originally would never have been late but she didn’t know what to make of this Hermione that had emerged over the last few months. 

‘I’m good, Gin, this isn’t about me. I actually slept well for once and overslept. Thank god for’ she stopped herself quickly and gulped ‘alarm clocks’. 

Ginny regarded her carefully as Hermione thought back over the previous night. She had slept well but she couldn’t work out why. Usually her alcohol induced slumbers were fraught with nightmares but she hadn’t had one last night and for the first time in a long time felt rested. Ginny could see a spark in her friends eyes that had been missing for a long time.

‘That’s good because I didn’t. I’m too excited’ Ginny smiled and jumped up and down, a little squeal of excitement popping out. 

Hermione caught sight of herself in the mirror with a big grin on her face then realised it felt genuine, she was excited and happy about the wedding no matter her own sorrow. Even the inevitable primping and preening that was about to begin couldn’t dampen her spirits today. She felt good and it was a nice feeling, one she hadn’t had in a long time. 

‘Me too. Girl me up Gin. I’m all yours’ 

***

Harry and Ginny were to be married at Godric’s Hollow, Harry having decided as his parents had married there it only seemed right and it would go some way to right the wrongs of the past there. The wedding was under immense high security, and had taken some planning despite how quick it had come around. They figured a short engagement was best to try and keep it quiet, that way there was less the details would leak. Harry and Ginny had been visiting a muggle hotel regularly to try and put people off the scent, and he was giving a talk at Hogwarts in the morning in another attempt to divert suspicion. All invitees had been given a location far away and would be redirected via a secure floo. Every enchantment going had been placed on the church and a team of aurora were patrolling round outside. The reception was to be at The Burrow for just close family and friends. Old faithful the marquee, aptly nicknames by Ron had been erected the day before and Molly was in her element, decorating and planning and organising. Hermione had wisely stayed away with Harry to keep researching. 

At 1345 after being very thoroughly primped and preened Hermione, Arthur, Molly and George gathered in the front room of the Burrow to await Ginny coming down the stairs. Molly glared at George who wasn’t supposed to be there but he gave her a quick peck on the cheek before turning to Ginny as she entered the room to collective gasps. Her dress was muggle, another way to avoid the press was to go to a muggle bridal shop. Hermione remembered the day fondly, they’d gone scouting ahead then taken Molly once they’d found a few Ginny liked. They’d had far too much free champagne and both had tried on some ridiculous dresses. 

‘Hey Gin, Fr-Fred and I predicted this day, the first year we met him and you mooned over him on the platform. As the years went on we talked about what jokes we would play on you when it did happen, although at times we thought we’d have grey hair before you two actually managed it the way you went through boyfriends. But, but he’s not here so it falls to me and I’m not playing jokes or tricks or anything. You’re our baby sister, all grown up so if you can grow up, I can for a day. But Harry is our brother, officially now so harm a hair on his head...’ Ginny laughed at his probably correct assumption Harry needed protecting from her. ‘Here. He’d want you to have this’. He handed over a long thin packet. ‘Just for today, but his best work was done with this so this is to carry with you for luck. I ’. He looked pained as Ginny unwrapped Fred’s wand. 

‘Thanks George’ she replied, waving it as sparks in the shape of hearts erupted from the end. She slipped it into the secret concealed pocket within her dress and hugged him tight.

‘I’m off then, best make sure Harry actually turned up and Ron managed to get dressed without you Hermione, and didn’t do something stupid like go out and get drunk last night’ he grinned, winking at Hermione who reddened and disappearing with a crack. 

‘Time we were heading off too Gin’ Arthur said, holding out his arm to his youngest child. She grinned and grabbed it readily as they disappeared, Hermione and Molly following arm in arm soon after, appearing outside the church. Hermione looked around and shivered despite the warm sun, the last time she’d been here had been Christmas Eve a couple of years ago and by the end of the evening they’d narrowly escaped a giant snake. 

‘It’s ok’ Ginny whispered, linking arms with her. Harry had told her everything and she knew of Hermione’s reluctance to be here again. 

‘I’m fine Gin, now come on. Let’s get you two married’ Hermione replied stoically. It’s not like she had anything to worry about anymore and this was a bright sunny day.

The church was packed with familiar faces, rows upon rows of school friends and work colleagues and important people. As Hermione walked in behind Ginny she spied so many people she knew and loved she couldn’t help but relax and feel happy. Ginny’s harpies teammates were one side and most of the DA were there dotted about the pews. The Weasley family overflowed, red hair glinting as the sun streamed in the big stained glass windows. Hermione could hear Aunt Muriel’s loud voice proclaiming Ginny’s hair set off the goblin made tiara perfectly. Hermione chanced a glance at Harry, who she’d never seen happier and it brought a tear to her eye. Must not cry she thought but these were tears of happiness. She grinned at Ron who was looking very nervous but very smart in his muggle suit next to Harry at the front, tugging on his cravat uncomfortable in the formal clothes. 

The service was short and sweet and conducted by Kingsley. As they were bonded the church broke out in loud whoops of joy and cheering that seemed to go on for ages. Hermione and Ron linked arms and followed Harry and Ginny back out the church outside, stealing a moment with the happy couple before everyone else followed them outside. Letting go of Ginny for a minute Harry pulled them both into a three way hug, jumping apart as a flash almost blinded them and a wiry figure darted about snapping photographs. 

‘Don’t mind me’ he said, ducking and diving and snapping, each time a bright spark and whoosh of smoke erupted from his little camera. ‘You won’t even know I’m here’. 

Hermione laughed and grabbed Harry in a headlock, rubbing his hair with her fist and laughing. He grinned and wriggled out of it, planting a kiss on her cheek whilst Ron grabbed his sister round the waist. The happiness radiated off the four of them. 

‘Go on then, photo of you four’ the photographer directed and they stood in a line, Hermione next to Harry and Ron next to Ginny, beaming for the camera. Hermione felt free for the first time in ages and happily stood around being strong armed into all the photos the photographer was bossily directing, until eventually Harry had enough and dismissed him, sending everyone back to the marquee for the reception. 

***

‘What are you doing here?’ Hermione jumped as she stumbled through her Floo and noticed the pale, almost spectral figure sat in her armchair, a tumbler of orange fire whisky in his hand. At least he’d lit the fire and it was warm but she hadn’t expected a welcoming party. She kicked off her shoes and sank down opposite him, welcoming the tumbler of firewhisky he sent over. Malfoy always brought good stuff. She rasped as she took a bigger sip than usual, realising he’d raided her cheap stash. 

‘Couldn’t sleep’ he replied, swilling the liquid round in his glass. ‘I close my eyes and I just get flashes of her face across my mind. I can shut it out the rest of the day, but...’ he ran down and downed the shot. Hermione crossed the room and sat on the arm of the chair. 

‘I see Fred. Still laughing. Every time I see Teddy I get flashes of lowering Remus and Tonks into the ground, their hands still holding and I get angry at the pair of them, Tonks especially for leaving him to go and fight but she’d have been just as angry had she stayed at home. Seeing a dog in the park reminds me of Greyback hunched over Lavender, tearing holes in her neck, teeth covered in her blood and her glassy stare’. Hermione shuddered and paused, thinking. 

‘Charity Burbage. Eaten by his snake above my dining table after he killed her. She’d been in the dungeon months. I used to sneak her food but I couldn’t as much as I would have liked. Hermione Granger, arm carved into in the drawing room by my crazy, cackling aunt. Countless nameless faces all swim around, their terror etched on their faces. Dumbledore. I tried to kill Dumbledore’. 

Hermione took his hand in her lap and stroked the back of it. ‘Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him. He wasn’t your fault. He was cursed’. 

Malfoy looked at her, before resuming staring straight ahead. 

‘How did we become friends?’ He asked gruffly. She bent down and kissed the top of his head gently. It just seemed right. 

‘I believe you bugged the Minister to make me your jailer. It’s all on you’ she laughed and he smiled slightly. 

‘The war continues’ he shrugged in reply, putting down his glass and standing up. ‘I should go’ 

Hermione bit her lip. ‘You can stay if you want. Spare room or. Or wherever’. She stood up from the chair and kicked off her heels and turned to head into the kitchen. He followed her and lent on the door jamb. 

‘How was the wedding?’ 

She grinned, her smile lighting up her whole face but with an edge of sadness around the he could still see, she wasn’t fooling him. ‘Amazing. Those pair, they’re meant to be together. After everything he’s been through he deserves happiness’. 

‘So do you’ he countered.

She put down the glass she was holding, ignoring his last comment. He crossed the room and this time he kissed her on the head, wrapping his arms around her. 

‘Molly just looked so happy and bursting with pride and my mum will never see that’ she spluttered, letting the sobs that had threatened to fall all day out. 

‘Granger, someone has to marry you first’ he joked weakly but still stroked her hair. She thumped his chest in indignation but stayed wrapped up in his arms. 

At some point he must have moved them both because she woke up, still fully dressed on her bed in the early hours of the morning. He had one arm thrown lazily over her. Knowing she wouldn’t go back to sleep she wriggled gently to get out from under him without waking him, she knew he’d barely slept lately and headed into the shower. 

He found her sat at the kitchen table an hour later, prophet in hand. She glanced up when he walked in but quickly ducked her head back to her reading, nibbling on toast as she did so. He swiped the second bit off her plate, poured a coffee and leant on the worktop. ‘Anything good in there’ he asked, gesturing at the paper. She summoned her toast wandlessly and non verbally back to her. 

‘Harry’s wedding mostly. Make your own damn toast’. He sighed and she looked up incredulously. ‘You don’t know how to? What, not even magically?’ 

‘Where do you keep your bread Granger?’ He growled. ‘Oh, and here come the cavalry’. The floo roared and Ron appeared through the kitchen doorway. 

‘My head’ Ron muttered, not even noticing Malfoy. He sat down next to Hermione and swiped at her toast. She smacked his hand away angrily. ‘Make your own damn toast you pair’ she snapped. Ron glances up and noticed Malfoy in the kitchen. He groaned. 

‘Pleasure to see you too Weasel’ Malfoy muttered. 

‘Thought you were making toast. You can make Ron some’ Hermione said sweetly. Malfoy glowered at her but Ron didn’t notice, he had buried his head in his hands at the table and Hermione thought he was gently snoring. Malfoy prodded him with his wand and Ron woke up spluttering looking round quickly. 

‘Drool Weasley’ 

‘What? Not every day your best mate and sister get married’. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. ‘You need friends first though’. 

‘Enough’ Hermione shouted, angry with the pair of them even though they’d barely got started. 

Malfoy grinned. ‘I’m going back to bed. You two girls sit and chat about who wore it best’ 

He swiped Hermione’s toast and tea and walked out into the corridor. 

‘Why is he here again ‘Mione’ Ron asked sleepily, head on the table. 

‘Where’s Olivia Ron?’ Hermione countered, not answering his question. Ron yawned and sat up. 

‘She had to work today. George is off obviously and she volunteered. I didn’t want to go to Harry’s so I thought I’d come here. One of us is married Hermione. And you’re friends with Malfoy. As much as I hate the dick I think he gets you. I can’t. I try, but I can’t. Losing a brother is painful but Olivia explained it to me. It wasn’t my fault. You did something that makes you sad and so did he’. 

‘Bloody Hell Ron, that’s quite possibly the most insightful thing you’ve said’ Hermione exclaimed. 

‘Doesn’t mean I bloody like it Mione and keep the volume down’. He resumed his position of head down on the table as an elf appeared, making them both jump. 

Master asked Piper to make you all breakfast. Piper is here’ the elf chirpered. Hermione just smiled and Ron looked as incredulous as he could manage sideways on the table. 

‘He can stay’.


	18. Chapter 18

p>‘Draco darling, you’ve barely been home of late. Come in for a spot of tea’ Narcissa called as Draco slunk back in to the manor that evening. He cussed under his breath. He’d hoped to sneak back in without being caught, cursing the bad luck that his mother had caught him. She’d obviously been lying in wait for him.

After finally sleeping and then spending breakfast with Hermione and surprisingly Ron, he’d spent the day at Nott Manor with Theo and Blaise whizzing around on broomsticks. He’d been seized by a good mood and an incredible desire to be childish and free, and for a while it had worked. His only really happy memories stemmed from flying, both around the manor and then later quidditch at Hogwarts, although even those were blighted by Potter. He had won Slytherin some good games against the other two houses though but he’d never really bested Potter truly. The childish day had done them all good and they’d laughed lots in a roundabout game, forgetting the black shadow hanging over them. He stopped and reluctantly turned round and headed into the parlour his mother had called out from, recognising her request as one not to be disobeyed. 

He walked into the small parlour where his mother was sat not upright next to the grand fireplace in an antique wingback chair. Never would you catch her slouching he thought as he straightened his posture slightly and assumed his ‘son of pureblood aristocracy’ demeanour, even if it was slightly surly. An elf bowed out silently, tea set laid out neatly on the table despite the fact dinner was looming. 

‘Tea?’ She asked politely as he sat down opposite her. He merely grunted in reply, not wanting or needing to formulate words. 

‘Now now Draco, I’ve not seen you in weeks. Tell me, is it a girl? Because we draw closer to your engagement and I will not have rumours’. 

Draco weighed up how wise it would be to piss off his mother. She was still quite a formidable witch on occasion, more so since she had freedom from his father and wouldn’t hesitate to hex him. She still ruled the manor and certain social circles with an iron fist. 

‘No mother. I have been with Theo and Blaise today. We must just miss each other’ he responded politely. 

‘Now now, we both know you haven’t slept in your bed in weeks. You come in for clothes and books and leave again. Occasionally other trinkets I can’t think why you would need use for, although suppose a bolt hole is acceptable. I implore you to be careful darling. I’ve heard some distant rumours your uncle has been sighted recently and has some no doubt far fetched notion of resuming his old master’s work. I’d hate to see you caught up in something best perhaps avoided’ she said carefully, not breaking eye contact but confirming her stance in one sentence. He read her unsaid meaning. Don’t get caught up in the wrong side. 

Draco gulped. ‘No mother’ 

‘I recall you asking me interestedly about burial plots a few weeks back and I must confess, I found it strange at the time but having had time to think I can see a need to steep you further in family history. As far as I’m she was evil, she was my sister and I have some happy memories of her early on. I went to visit Bellatrix today, her birthday is tomorrow and I was surprised to see others had been there recently. As it is only Dromeda and I, and perhaps you who can access the plot this concerned me greatly’. 

‘I can’t, can I?’ Draco asked confused. 

‘Oh yes, I think you could if you knew where it is. I haven’t divulged the location to anyone in twenty years though so footsteps around the graves confused me. And no, that’s not about the change Draco’ she added as he looked up hopeful. His face fell slightly but he quickly schooled it back to passive. No emotion on his face. It was a well practiced look. 

‘I can’t see Dromeda would have visited intentionally’ she intoned timelessly, seemingly disinterested. She placed her teacup down as Draco’s mind was whirring. His mother was not only formidable but also intuitive. 

‘Mother, I do believe I’ve forgotten an appointment. May you please excuse me?’ He asked as Narcissa gave the briefest smile in recognition before her face went blank again.

‘Draco, whatever is going on you have a month until Astoria finishes school and you become engaged. I will not have setbacks. This union has been planned many years and took many careful negotiations particularly in recent months’ she warned as Draco bent and kissed her cheek. She caught the smell of the wind and grass and something, almondy she thought that was not his usual smell as he turned and quickly left the room. 

***

‘Granger. GRANGER’ he shouted, pacing round her flat. He found her curled up by her bedroom window, book in hand, tears streaming down her face. He sat down next to her and she laid her head on his shoulder. He glanced at the book she was looking at. It was a photo album of muggle photos; her parents. He still couldn’t get over the fact they didn’t move and prodded one just to make sure. Hermione glared at him for touching her precious photos, tears dropping onto the pages. He gently wiped them off the page before they marked them although he knew she had many copies. 

‘Tell me about them’ he gulped nervously deciding his news could wait a few minutes. He was not sure it was a wise idea and immediately regretted it as she sat up bolt upright. 

‘Really? Didn’t you want something being back so soon?’ 

‘It can wait. Really’ he confirmed, shifting so he could pull her round and into his lap. ‘I can wait a few minutes’. He wrapped his arms round her as she spoke going through the pictures, crying turning to laughter as she recounted stories of skiing one Christmas and her dad falling over a lot, of his ridiculous Christmas jumpers and how he’d make them all wear one on Christmas Eve. How her mum used to make the most wonderful shortbread and they’d sit and chat for hours, although she blushed a bit when she said there was a lot of moaning about a particular bully at school. 

‘I’m not a nice person Granger. I was an even worse teenager. I could blame it on upbringing or family or arrogance but it’s all on me. I am sorry I made you miserable at school though’. 

She sank back against him tighter and reached up behind her to stroke his face, surprised to feel stubble. He always looked clean shaven. 

‘Past is past. I branded someone with the word sneak in acne across their face and kept a reporter in a jar. I’m not particularly nice either.’ She pauses a moment. ‘No one has asked me about them since, since the War. Thank you. But you didn’t come here to listen to me prattle on, as cathartic as it’s been’. She sat up and turned round to look at him. 

‘I had tea with my mother. She wanted to know where I was to make sure I didn’t mess up this stupid engagement’. 

Hermione was silent, it was the first time he’d properly mentioned it to her and he didn’t sound happy about it. He continued. 

‘She also went to visit Bellatrix’s grave yesterday. Misguided loyalty to her bitch of a sister. Tell me, how often do you see Dromeda?’ He asked. Hermione stood up as she replied, pulling him up after and leading him down to the kitchen. 

‘I saw her yesterday, why?’ 

She busied herself making two cups of hot chocolate, then to his surprise pulled out a sheet of paper and gave it to him. ‘Pick a pizza, my treat’ she said, gesturing at him to carry on. 

‘What the fuck is this Hermione?’ He prodded the pictures with his wand expecting something to happen but nothing did. 

‘Hermione?’ She asked quizzically , putting his drink down in front of him. He was still pouring over the menu, trying to read all the tiny writing. 

‘I’m trying it out. What is this? What does it do?’

‘I assume you’ve seen a menu before?’ She quipped, laughing as he just stared at it, not looking up at all. 

‘Yes, but this is not a menu for food is it?’ 

She laughed again. ‘Pizza. So underrated in the Wizarding world. Come on’ she said, standing up. 

‘Hermione, where are we going? I have something to talk to you about’ he replied. ‘I can just get Piper to make us something, pi’ he said but a hand over his mouth cut him off. 

‘Trust me’ Hermione laughed, shrieking as he licked her hand to get her to let go. He was hard pushed at that second not to grab her and tickle her mercilessly but quickly gave in and did it anyway, spurred on by her shrieks of laughter until he felt a stinging in both hands. 

‘Bitch’ he said affectionately, letting her go and stopping from his onslaught. She’d felt so good in his hands yet so small and tiny. 

‘You’re in a good mood’ she laughed, smiling at him. He was wearing a goofy grin too she’d never seen before, he was always so sombre and brooding and dark.

‘It’s been a good day. Now hurry up and drag me to wherever is next in my muggle education and I can tell you what I made all the effort to come here for’. 

‘Grumbling doesn’t always suit you. We’re going to pick up pizza. Can’t believe I haven’t taken you yet’ she exclaimed. 

‘We’re not exactly dating Granger’ he quipped loosely then kicked himself. 

‘Idiot, it’s fast food. But you’re right. We’re not dating. What are we? Friends doesn’t quite work’ She asked, the mood suddenly becoming tense. He didn’t answer as she locked up then warded her house. 

He pulled her in and kissed her forehead, slinging his arm round her shoulders as it just felt right to him in that moment. 

‘You can’t put a label on it so don’t.’


	19. Chapter 19

They sat on the sofa comfortably, feet up on the small coffee table and pizza boxes discarded as Draco loudly declared himself stuffed. 

‘I can’t believe I’ve never had that before’ he sighed contentedly, resting back on the sofa. Hermione laughed, finishing her last slice before resting back too and snuggling into the cushions grinning.

‘What, the house elves aren’t well versed in pizza? For once I was hungry and sometimes only muggle takeaway will do. Now, what did you rush over here for earlier before I rudely distracted you with food? Something about ‘Dromeda?’ 

‘Yes’ Draco replied, kicking himself for getting sidetracked. ‘My mother cornered me and after a discussion over the engagement I’m supposed to be entering i  
next month started talking about the Black burial plot. She went to visit Bellatrix and said someone else has been there. He must have got there through Andromeda, as the Manor is well warded and I would know had anyone visited her’. 

Hermione looked thoughtful for a second. 

‘I saw her but only briefly. She came to drop Teddy off and pick him up so I only saw her distantly. I try and stay away....Bellatrix’ Hermione shuddered, burying back down the memories of that crazed witch. It was still fresh in her memory, the scars now faded on her arm but the memory still very much alive and not made better by Andromeda who was the spitting image of her late sister. You’d have to really look to see the words now, but she wore them proudly none the less, finding them slightly grounding. On her darkest days, where she blamed herself for losing her parents she’d find tracing the scars slightly reassuring. They reminded her what she’s survived, and what she could survive again. They validated her reasoning for sacrificing her parents. They were none the wiser of course, she’d kept them safe as planned and free from torture like hers. She was the one suffering. 

‘She wasn’t at the wedding of her Grandson’s godfather? That’s really strange unless she’s extremely ill, I didn’t know she wasn’t there. I know my family disowned her but family is everything to her, in a twisted way it’s why she was blasted off the damn tapestry’. He exclaimed as Hermione sat up all kinds of lightbulbs going off in her head. She conjured a Patronus to Harry and within two minutes he was stepping out the floo, all a dither. 

‘Hermione, are you ok?’ He asked hurriedly, doing up his shirt as he rushed out from the fireplace. His glasses were askance and his hair messier than usual, which was saying something.

‘Harry, why was Andromeda not at the wedding?’ Hermione asked quickly as Draco laughed ‘no bets needed to work out what you were doing’ at the same time. 

Harry blushed whilst glaring at Draco before retorting ‘I did get married yesterday’. 

He sat down, pointedly ignoring Draco and talking only to Hermione. ‘She said she wasn’t feeling well and she didn’t look it. Quite grey. She just dropped Teddy with Bill and Fleur and then left. I was really sad she couldn’t stay, it did strike me as a little odd but I was quite preoccupied and thought I’d drop her an owl this week. Molly dropped Teddy back to her this morning but didn’t say anything, I think she said she had to rush back as Bobby is teething and she didn’t want Arthur to try something stupid, despite being the father of seven children’. He looked puzzled as Malfoy jumped up from his spot on the sofa. 

‘I suggest you go and pay her a visit, now. He’s getting in to the graves somehow and it’s not mother or me as I don’t know where the damn things are. I’m off to the Leaky Cauldron as I need witnesses that I’m most definitely not with you’. He stood up and kissed Hermione’s head again before heading for the floo, shouting ‘thanks for the pizza’ over his shoulder. 

Hermione looked at Harry and shrugged ‘what’ as he glared at her.

‘You’re getting too close. Cosy pizza nights in?’he said, the disdain dripping from his voice. 

‘Harry, he only came over to tell us about Andromeda. He caught me looking at a photo album so he asked me about my parents, which by the way you never have. I got hungry so we got pizza. I’m not often hungry and talking about mum and dad made me want muggle food. As soon as he told me about Dromeda I called you’ Hermione spat back, angry.

‘He asked about your parents?’ Harry asked, a confused tone slipping in. He wasn’t sure who this Malfoy was. He really wanted to paint him as the villain, but he just couldn’t. He’d gone to great pains to alert them of this new rising, as in other lines nothing had been heard yet. Their investigative work was still something of an undercover/off the radar mission. And Hermione. He came to her. She seemed settled when he was around, he seemed to know how to handle her. Better than him and Ron anyway. 

‘Yes Harry’ she snapped, losing her patience already. She tidied up the boxes angrily slamming them into one another and sent the rubbish to the bin, before summoning her coat, all the while glaring at Harry.

‘He’s the first person to ask about them. You all pointedly ignore they ever existed’ she spat angrily before taking a deep breath. Harry could feel her steel herself, to try and calm down, a couple more deep breaths and she spoke again, albeit through slightly gritted teeth’. 

That’s not important now. Do we need Ron? Or Robards?’ 

‘I thought you wouldn’t want us mentioning them’ Harry said quietly, standing up. He was looking down, not at Hermione as the anger in her voice he knew threatened tears and he didn’t want to upset her. She was just teetering on the edge of control. 

‘It helps. Talking helps’ she replied equally as quietly.

Harry shook his head. ‘How the hell did Malfoy, it had to be Malfoy’ he muttered under his breath but didn’t talk out loud he was too scared to mention it to Hermione. It was true, he was good for her at least right now but it was still Malfoy. He changed subjects in his head, trying to avoid thoughts of Malfoy and Hermione. 

‘You really think she’s a missing link?’ Harry asked changing subject to more neutral territory as they both headed towards her front door. They’d known each other long enough to read they needed to move on right now. They didn’t need to elaborate. Harry was sorry and Hermione was balancing everything in her head.

‘It’s highly likely. Draco said three people can enter the plot, two know where it is. His mother hasn’t been approached we don’t think so let check Dromeda first.’

‘Draco now is it?’ Harry asked, a serious edge to his tone although his words were playful. 

‘I’m trying it out’ Hermione grinned. Harry couldn’t help but smile then. She looked like Hermione of old, happy, carefree Hermione before war and her parents and scrapping with Ron. 

‘I’ll admit, he’s not as bad as I thought. I still don’t like it though but I can be the bigger person’ he sighed and Hermione squeezed his arm. By this point they were outside Hermione’s front door, so Harry grabbed her hand and apparated them just outside Andromeda’s street. They carried on as if they hadn’t just disappeared from a flat in London and appeared out of thin air in the middle of the countryside. 

‘It’s not your opinion that matters Harry but I appreciate it’ Hermione said slowing down and staring at the cottage as although they were out of line of sight they could see the lights in the windows twinkling in the setting sun. 

‘Did you Apparate us far enough away Harry?’ She asked quickly, drawing her wand. They both had felt the shift in magic and were apprehensive, it didn’t feel right. Harry drew his wand quickly, dissolusioning the two of them. He grabbed Hermione’s hand so he knew where she was, putting his other hand in his pocket. They stood and watched the cottage in silence. A quiet pop sounded down the street and Harry whispered ‘over here’. 

Hermione felt the air shift as someone else joined their space then noticed a familiar hand on her shoulder. It was handing her a pair of glasses. She put them on and could immediately see Ron and Harry. As soon as she took them off they disappeared again, just a faint shimmer where she knew their bodies to be. 

‘Thanks for the tip Harry, I think I came in far enough away’ Ron whispered as Hermione shoved her glasses on again. 

‘Ron, what are these?’She asked bewildered, indicating the glasses on her face. They reminded her of muggle 3D glasses, although these were big and round they had one red and one blue lens.

‘Luna works with Olivia. We’re testing them’ he replied quietly. Hermione knew Luna was clever but this was brilliant. Glasses that could see through dissolution charms would be really useful. 

‘I don’t like the feel here. I’m going to walk up to the front door as if I’m visiting. Hermione, you cover me. Ron, you go in the back. I think we need to get Teddy out. Andromeda always has a bag packed for him under the stairs. She’s nervous even though we’ve warded this place as best as we can. If everything goes wrong, we get Teddy and get out. Meet at mine’. 

Harry whispered his orders then took his glasses off and reappeared. Hermione stayed put as Ron slipped away to head around the back of the tiny cottage. She crept a little closer, making sure she wasn’t too far away from Harry. Nerves were flying through her. Despite the warm spring evening there was a distinct chill in the air making Hermione shiver. It had been a long tome since she’d risked battle and she ran threw a glut of hexes and curses in her head, just in case. 

Harry wasn’t so affected and marched up to the door and knocked on it, waiting a few moments before knocking briskly again. They could see Andromeda in the kitchen but she was obviously ignoring the door or couldn’t hear it. Harry was unperturbed and carried on knocking, shouting for Andromeda to open the door. Hermione kept tight watch over the window, struggling to stifle her scream when she recognised a dark figure stand up at the kitchen table. Harry put his resting hand in a thumbs up without turning round so Hermione knew he’d heard her and understood. 

After what seemed like minutes but was probably merely seconds Andromeda seemed to become aware of the sound at the door and Hermione watched her through the window leave the kitchen, the front door opening a crack moments later and a shaky voice sounding out. 

‘Oh, Harry, I wasn’t expecting you. Now’s not a good time, I’m afraid and surely you should be spending time with your new wife?’. Andromeda spoke before Harry could even get a word in edgeways, peering just her head out through the tiny crack in the door. 

‘I just wanted to check in on you and Teddy. I’m concerned, we both are as we missed you yesterday and you know I consider him and you my family’ Harry replied, dangling his wand at his side.   
Hermione watched as Andromeda’s eyes caught on to it and a sense of understanding dawned across them, along with relief before she visibly tensed up again. 

‘H-how was your day? I don’t want to invite you in, there’s a bad illness in this house right now and I’d hate for you to be affected’. The door opened a touch more silently, revealing a much thinner Andromeda. 

‘Would you like us to have Teddy, allow you to rest?’ He asked cautiously, slipping his hand in his pocket again. Hermione was curious as the what he was doing but moments later her attention was drawn up as she saw a wand light come on in Teddy’s room then go off again as quickly as it appeared. She refocused back on the door and Harry, wand arm shaking yet ready.

‘No no, he’s fine here. I can always drop him to Molly if needs-be. You go, enjoy married life and we’ll catch up again soo-arghhhhh’ she screamed as her head was quickly yanked back by her hair and disappeared from view as the front door was slammed shut with a force that rattle the house. 

‘Reducto’ Harry shouted as he blasted the front door open and disappeared inside. Hermione heard a distant pop of apparition before rushing in after Harry, still disillusioned. She got to the front door and gasped, Andromeda was lying motionless on the floor, Harry nowhere to be seen. A curse came flying over her head and she threw up a shield just in time but it gave away her position as it deflected. A purple light flew at her and she muttered ‘Dolohov’ under her breath before running to Andromeda and shielding her, frantically feeling for a pulse and gasping with relief when she was warm to touch and Hermione could see her chest rising. 

‘There’s more of them’ She heard Dolohov shout as part of the stairs crumbled in another fierce blow. She couldn’t see Harry but could hear him fire spell after spell- despite years as an Auror he still couldn’t get the hang of non-verbal spells when he was really pressured and he was raining down course after curse in what sounded like a fierce 2 on 1 upstairs. There were booms and cracks and energy pulsing everywhere and Hermione could feel the magic crackle in the air. She froze, dragged back to the battle at Hogwarts, memories flashing in her mind like the lights but was snapped out of it by a voice cutting across her. 

‘Let’s get out of here’ she heard Rodolphus shout as heavy boots thundered down what was left of the stairs. She fired off several hexes but they all seemed to just miss their mark as another hex headed her way and she ducked, only just maintaining the shield over her and Andromeda. 

‘What about the old bat?’ She heard Dolohov shout as Harry appeared in view and was also unsuccessfully throwing everything at the two ex-death eaters. Hermione tried to throw up anti apparition wards but couldn’t, they just wouldn’t form.

‘Leave her’ Rodolphus shouted back gruffly, heading for the back door as a shock of orange hair appeared in the light, wand drawn. Rodolphus was quicker though and as quick as he had appeared Ron was thrown flying backwards through the air out of sight. 

‘Should’ve bloody killed him’ Dolohov shouted and with a crack both men disappeared into thin air as Harry howled in frustration. Hermione removed her charm and rushed outside in search of Ron. She heard groaning from the bushes and sighed in relief as she spotted his feet kicking furiously in the air. 

‘Fucking imbelicic Ronald’ he was muttering and Hermione grinned, offering out her hand to pull him out, peering down at him stuck in the middle of a particularly thorny bush. Gnomes were running everywhere shouting and scrambling out, getting under her feet. ‘Wand fight, that would’ve been easier to get rid of gnomes growing up’ he muttered, wincing as Hermione laughingly smacked his arm. 

‘Ow, Hermione, prickles. Where’s Harry and Dromeda?’ he asked, ambling back inside without waiting for a answer. Hermione followed him more cautiously, looking up at the hole in the roof and the blown out windows. It had been less than five minutes in total but the house was decimated from the very short battle. As she got back inside Ron was attempting to revive Andromeda and failing. 

‘Off to St Mungo’s’ he said matter of factly, levitating her and pulling a parcel wrapped in wax from his pocket. Hermione marvelled his ability to be calm, she was quaking inside and had sunk to her knees. It had been a long time since she’d had wand drawn against a foe, although she’d seen Rodolphus she’d been invisible and she’d felt out of practice as fear had overtaken her. It brought back memories she’d rather forget and had been trying to bury deep in her subconscious. She summoned a sliver of her Gryffindor courage and glanced up at Harry, ashen yet grey himself and casually leaning against the stairpost. She and Ron both looked at the same time as wide eyed Harry drew his hand away from his side and held it up to his face, covered in blood. 

‘Left pocket, port key’ Ron stuttered quickly at Hermione as his activated and he and Andromeda lurched away. Hermione stood staring into space for a second, before snapping into action. Harry was still stood staring at his hand in disbelief as Hermione accosted him, wrenched the coin from his pocket and grabbed him, feeling the familiar pull on her navel as they were spirited away.


	20. Chapter 20

Theo laughed, depositing a drunken Draco on the sofa in the library as they made their way into Nott Manor. The fire was burning brightly in the grate and the muggle brandy Theo had discovered and was drinking earlier that evening was still sat on the table, his glass half empty where he’d thrown it down in a rush.. It was nearing midnight but they’d finally finished and been released to go. He summoned a sober up potion he knew to be in the cupboard in the corner with a casual flick of his wand, watching the vial as it soared over to him and catching it deftly out the air and flipping down wearily next to Draco in the same seat as before. Daphne had suddenly appeared hammering at his front door distraught and demanding he came quickly to sort out an errant Draco. He’d headed straight to Diagon Alley to smooth things over and rescue Draco from those useless junior aurors, promising profusely that ‘it won’t happen again’ and slipping gold coins into pockets. It had been frustrating dealing with overkeen and enthusiastic new kids on the block who has just left Hogwarts and we’re glad to seemingly get one over on the people who had tormented them that fateful year. Theo shuddered in memory. Best forgotten that horrible seventh year. He turned to Draco. 

‘I don’t think Mummy is going to be happy with you in the morning’ he sing songed in a cheery voice, perked up a little now they were home as Draco glared at him then tilted sideways whilst trying to unstopper the vial, falling flat down onto the hard formal sofa Theo had ungraciously deposited him on. 

‘Easy there, drink this’ Theo said, catching him and putting him back upright, holding the vial to his lips. Draco gulped down the fouls smelling potion in one go, shaking his head in disgust as his eyes focussed again and his mind began to clear the hazy firewhisky fog. 

‘Perhaps not, but there were reporters there?’ Draco croaked, looking relieved as Theo nodded his assent, looking calculating as only Theo could.

‘Good’. 

‘Good? Ah, a diversion. Where was your girlfriend this time?’ He started to ask as the door flew open and Narcissa entered in a flurry of robes, reminiscent of Snape’s commanding presence. 

‘Really’ thought Theo, ‘do they hand out lessons at Death Eater School on how to make an entrance?’. He wisely kept these thoughts inside but giggled none the less at the idea of the snake man holding fort and demanding his death eaters practice in turn entering into the grand ballroom at Malfoy Manor and being sent out again until they got it right. He really needed to get out more.

‘Draco. What’s this I hear of a public brawl?’ Narcissa demanded, with an ‘evening Theodore’ nodded to that gentleman as an aside before turning full icy glare back to Draco, who cowered under his mother’s wrath. 

‘Yes Draco, why a brawl? I know Smith is quintessentially as annoying as hippogriff dung on your shoe, but lowering yourself to muggle fighting where I do believe you can be quite excellent with a wand?’ Theo echoed, looking gleefully at Draco who’d hung his head and was muttering ‘I didn’t start it’. 

‘Why were you even in the Leaky Cauldron?’ Narcissa demanded, almost parroted by Theo saying; 

‘Aren’t you supposed to be keeping your head down?’

Narcissa turned to Theo and glared at him, effectively shutting up his repetition of her questions. ‘Enough young man, I’m guessing it was more luck than judgement that you weren’t there along side him brawling like a commoner in the street’. Theo abruptly shut his mouth and looked as contrite as he could manage. 

‘No no, just got him out before he really embarrassed you Lady Malfoy’ he muttered under his breath, thoroughly chastised by Narcissa. 

‘Yes, well, I thank you for your assistance this time but it didn’t stop him nearly being arrested did it? Now did I hear mention of a girl friend as I came in? As I’m sure we discussed the need for you to not ruin this engagement Draco’ she said icily and both boys blushed red and hung their heads but neither of them spoke. Theo buckled first under Narcissa’s withering glare. 

‘It’s just a poor wind up Lady Malfoy. We’ve been joking about him and Miss Granger, with their meetings. After how much they hated each other at school and’ Theo ran down as Narcissa’s icy glare was turned full on him. 

‘I see. This evening Draco, explain yourself’ 

‘I was sat quietly in a bar when Zacharias bloody Smith starts taunting me. I retaliated. It will no doubt be blown out of proportion tomorrow in The Daily Prophet. That’s it’ he started quietly, cracking the knuckles on his hand. 

‘Ah yes, The Prophet. Do you know how I know about this? I received an owl from and erstwhile reporter asking for my view on how the Malfoy family have lowered themselves to muggle fighting in a bar?. Her tone left no doubts as to her thoughts. 

‘He started it’ Draco spat out, flexing his fingers of his right hand. ‘Had I gone for my wand I’d have been hexed by no less than six people. And he’s a weed’. 

‘But brawling Draco. You are a Malfoy and expected to behave as such, with dignity. Not socialise and engage in physical retaliation with those beneath you’ 

‘Smith would like to be beneath you’ Theo muttered, grinning. He took a sip of the brandy in front of him, nervously gulping.

‘Enough’ Narcissa demanded firmly. ‘Draco, I’m thoroughly displeased. You will formally apologise to Mr Smith and a donation will be made in a charity of his choosing and he will consider the matter forgotten. I will do some damage control’. She turned to Theo. 

‘You will sober him up, but leave those injuries alone. I will also hear no more suggestions of impropriety with Miss Granger any other female for that matter. His formal engagement announcement is just weeks away and has taken an inordinate amount of work and gold to secure.’ 

Both boys, despite their age, withered under the matriarch’s icy glare and just nodded as she swept out again without another word to them. 

‘Fuuuuck’ Draco whispered once he was sure she’d left. The boys had sat in silence, staring into the fire for a few minutes. 

‘That’s one ice cold lady’ Theo quipped. ‘Now, Draco, the real story if you please,’ he started but a bell chimed and interrupted them. Both swore heavily and stumbled up to standing reluctantly, grumbling under their breath not not wasting any time. Draco put a hand out and grabbed Theo’s wrist as Theo apparated them both to the dungeon and they span out of sight. 

Dizzy from the fight, the firewhisky and the hangover potion Draco stumbled as they landed and smacked into the crumbly wet wall in the passageway sending a shower of dirt running down before them. The torches sprung to life giving off shadows down into the darkness beyond and advertising their presence to those beyond. They’d spent years in the dungeons at Hogwarts but this one felt heavy, a sense of foreboding and dark magic in the air. 

‘Best foot forward’ said Theo almost cheerily, but Draco could see the panic on the elder boy’s face and neither of them moved, standing silently for what felt like hours but in reality just seconds. 

‘Come on’ Draco hissed suddenly, finding some courage from somewhere. . ‘Let’s just get it over with’. He grabbed Theo’s shirt roughly at the front and dragged him forwards, entering the dungeon room with trepidation. 

There were two men pacing back and forth in the dark room, arguing in quiet yet deep voices. Their faces were contorted in rage, their body language hostile, fraught. Lestrange and Dolohov, both showing signs of battle with ripped clothes and dusty marks and a new, fresh scar on Dolohov’s forehead that had been crudely healed, the blood still dripping down over his eye giving him a menacing look. Draco’s mind was racing as he walked in trying to read them and their mood but fought hard to hide his emotions on his face and let the mask slip down again. He put everything back in its proper box in his mind lest anyone notice anything amiss. He was burning to know what had happened but needed to remain disinterested and unknowing although inside he was full of fear and loathing for the two men stood before him. At least he was well practiced at the mask of indifference but he was finding it harder and harder to put in place lately. 

‘Where’s Zabini’ Lestrange snapped, halting the muttered argument as he turned and noticed the two boys, well men, come into the room. There was nothing boyish about Theo and Draco, both tall, muscly young lads borne from years of flying. Theo made a big show of looking at his watch.

‘Judging by his usual prowess he’s most likely balls deep in his date for this evening’ he quipped, earning a stinging hex for his impropriety. 

‘Hey’ he cried indignantly, rubbing his leg hard where Rodolphus’ hex had hit. ‘I speak no lies’. 

‘Quiet’ roared Rodolphus and both boys shrank back a little away from him, not daring to speak again. An uncomfortable silence followed, broken by Rodolphus a couple of minutes later. 

‘Fucking Potter and his merry men found us. Incompetent bafoons, just blundered in. Dromeda must have given it away somehow. That Mudblood bitch of yours was there, couldn’t land a curse over her shield charm and the red headed blood traiter Weasley scum. Dolohov here sent him packing quickly but Potter has improved with a wand. Thankfully your shield cloaks worked Nott’ Nott looked contritely at Draco with an almost imperceptible shrug ‘as they couldn’t land anything. Didn’t stop the debris though’. Rodolphus gestured at Dolohov’s head falling silent. 

There was a distant crack of apparition and all heads turned nervously to the door. Draco panicked before realising Hermione couldn’t get in to the small spot that allowed apparition without him, it was only those who Nott allowed through and he hadn’t her yet, mostly for her safety. The man himself could apparate anywhere if he wanted. The door creaked open and a cloaked hand appeared round, followed quickly by the short stocky build of Corban Yaxley. 

‘What goes?’ he greeted stiffly, taking in the battle worn appearance and reading the tension in the air. 

‘Potter’ Rodolphus spat, turning and sitting down roughly on the sofa. 

‘Well?’ He demanded. ‘Food?’ 

Theo jumped and disappeared away quickly, taking advantage of the reprieve to escape rather than call a house elf. This was noted as he reappeared a minute later, the occupants of the dungeon staying almost frozen until he returned.

‘What are you, a bloody house elf?’ Rodolphus demanded, turning to the newcomer who sat down opposite him. Draco and Theo tentatively took seats as did Dolohov. A quick flash of his wand and Rodolphus had lit a fire in the grate and conjured some glasses for the firewhisky he summoned from the corner. There was always a ready stash there lately after a particularly nasty evening where none was available. 

‘Potter found us, by chance or design I couldn’t quite tell. Naturally we escaped but it’s set us back a little. What news, Yaxley?’ 

‘It’s taken a while but Ahlen is back on  
board. That Auror killing herself delayed things, but he’s reluctantly agreed to continue. He’s sourced the ingredients, they’re coming in soon.’ 

He spoke quietly, tearing into the food that had appeared on the table. 

‘Excellent news. I need to find that Weasley bitch, and the child. I overheard her chatting to Andromeda this morning. Somehow they got their hands on him’ 

Draco made a mental note to owl Hermione immediately. Rodolphus was getting crazier and more reckless. They hadn’t spoken of their plans in front of the younger men before. 

‘The Order of the Phoenix’ Yaxley coughed, turning his head to one side and spitting out whatever he’d coughed up. Theo looked appalled but a quick kick from Draco and he schooled his features again. Luckily no one noticed. 

‘Should have wiped them out whilst we had the chance’ Dolohov joined in. ‘Damn Voldemort for being too cocky. Should have known Potter would have got lucky although he was Albus’ pawn. All to stunned once he’d gone. We could have had them. If it wasn’t for defectors like your father boy’. Venomous eyes were turned on Draco and Dolohov cuffed him round the ear. ‘Paying the price now aren’t we’ he sneered. 

‘I’m honoured to serve where my father failed’ Draco stuttered, shaking under the intense flares of the three men. Theo went white next to him. 

‘Good’ Rodolphus said sharply. ‘It’s time to tell you two a little story’.


	21. Chapter 21

Hermione landed in an area of St Mungo’s she hadn’t seen before. It was light and airy and nothing like the busy cavernous halls of the regular entrance and what she assumed to be downstairs seeing as there were sky lights in the ceiling. It had a loft like appearance, with sloping ceilings and the big windows showing the dark sky outside. Not that that meant anything she knew, with all the ministry’s charmed windows being underground but she strangely had the feeling of being up high. It looked completely different to anywhere she’d been in St Mungo’s before, and if it wasn’t for the people wearing the lime green healers robes running round and Ron telling her she wouldn’t have known where she was. As if reading her mind, Harry spoke gruffly from her side where he was bent over clutching at his abdomen.

‘Auror floor. Direct port key in’ he winced, stumbling forwards as a healer rushed over and caught him before he fell. 

‘Back again Mr Potter?’ She said with a complete lack of surprise, almost conversationally as if he was merely visiting his favourite restaurant and wasn’t busily spraying blood all over the floor. She quickly conjured a stretcher in an almost bored yet immensely efficient manner, levitating him onto it and away with surprising ease and a quickness that spoke of practice and regularity. The lack of panic on the healer’s face calmed Hermione slightly as he was whisked away. Hermione went to follow but was ushered away with a flick of the healer’s hand and Harry just looked reproachfully at her, resigned to lying back and being carried off. A hand appeared at her elbow and gently guided her backwards. 

‘Can’t believe you didn’t get shown round here when you started with us, but guess you don’t go out in the field much. This floor is just for aurors. We all carry a wax wrapped portkey direct to here, usually in left pocket so you know where it is although some deign to be different. Mines a key ring, think you bought it for me actually. Harry’s is a muggle coin, if I’m not mistaken, that 50p the Dursley’s sent him for Christmas once. Think it makes him happy their supposed muggle tat is actually saving his life. Here, have something resembling tea’ Ron said, offering some lukewarm grey liquid in a cardboard cup, reminding her of paltry tea from a machine in the waiting room of her parent’s practice that she used to have if she ever had to wait for them at work. He shrugged when he saw Hermione look at it in suprise.

‘Head healer’s a muggleborn. All these great ideas’ he said nonchalantly, sipping his own putrid brew before pulling a face and staring forwards again.

‘Thanks’ Hermione found her voice and replied, going back to just staring around and taking in the sights around her too. There was a lot to take in. It was a small space, with a lift door to their left and a fish bowl straight ahead although being magical it wasn’t the kind of fish she was used to. It made her chuckle that even with the vast differences between the muggle and magical worlds, hospital waiting rooms were eerily similar. A few uncomfortable chairs sat off to one side. There were pictures over the walls but obviously these Wizarding ones moved, and she was being watched by a particularly wrinkly, sour faced man with half moon glasses. She noticed an empty portrait frame and stared at it, recognising the background. 

‘Dilys comes by occasionally’ Ron notices her looking before gently guiding her over to the chairs, ‘and I’ve once seen Dumbledore here very early in but not since’.

‘How are you so calm Ron?’ Hermione asked shakily, allowing the emotion following the battle to surface. She was visibly shaking with the rush of adrenaline following the fight, and battling down those memories that were bubbling under the surface. She’d always been the smart one, the one with the plans but this was very definitely the boy’s world and she felt very much out of it. That lack of control of not knowing, she hated it. Ron just shrugged. 

‘Dromeda woke when we landed, she seemed ok but a bit dazed. They looked after me well here last year. And Harry’ll be ok, he was awake which was better than last tim- ouch’

‘Last time Ronald?’ Hermione shrieked as he held his hands up in defence. She landed one thwack in his arm before he grabbed her wrists and pulled them down, looking at her intently.

‘This is why we didn’t tell you. You weren’t...in the right place. He got knocked unconscious is all. Flew into a wall chasing someone on a broom. Can’t even remember who it was now. I’ve broken a few bones in my time but they always reset them and we’re on our way. We’re here less often than the hospital wing. Ok, maybe as much or more but we’re ok. It would worry us more you being upset over things that you don’t really need to know. We would have told you about anything serious Hermione, give us some credit’ he conceded, sounding awfully grown up for Ron. 

Hermione was silent, glaring straight ahead not trusting herself to speak. Eventually she took a deep breath and spoke. 

‘I want to know Ronald. You two are special to me, you’re all I have left, you and Ginny. Whatever you think, however minor or serious, I want to know’. 

‘And Malfoy?’ He asked quietly. Hermione coloured.

‘I don’t know’ she replied, thinking deeply. Their relationship was complex, they understood each other well yet there was hesitancy on both sides to admitting to being more than passing acquaintances. Then again, he’d done a lot for her lately. 

‘Yes, I’d want to know too’ She stuttered quietly in return. Ron put his arm round her shoulders and squeezed her in tight as her shaking was beginning to subside. 

‘He seems ok you know. To you. We won’t leave you out again. Love you too ‘Mione’ he smiled and they fell into an easy silence waiting until the bubble inside Hermione threatened to burst. She could feel it coming and she spat out her words in a torrent. 

‘I mean it Ron. I want to know when one of you ends up in here. Professionally I need to know now but I deserve to know personally no matter how fragile you think I am I can deal with it. I want to know’ she spoke fast and furiously, a mere hiss to anyone else who may have heard but Ron understood perfectly. After all, he’d often felt left out and having six siblings he understood the need to know his family were ok. Harry and Ron were now Hermione’s family, however fraught and distant they were at the moment. 

‘We seem to have gone about this the wrong way, haven’t we ‘Mione? Thing is, without you helping us navigate we just don’t know what to do. We fall back into trying to protect you but it all goes wrong. We’ve left you out, on purpose with all good intentions but I can see how that’s not the best thing. Are you ok?’ He asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. 

Hermione was silent for a few moments, trying to decide which rack to take. Anger, resignation, acceptance. She sighed heavily. 

‘That’s a very open ended question Ron. We’ll go with right now I’m ok, and gloss on to have you been checked out? You got thrown through the air. And Teddy? Can’t believe I forgot Teddy’. Hermione worked up to a quiet shriek again but Ron shushed her. 

‘I got Teddy. He’s with mum, I think we should convince her to open a nursery at this rate. First Bobby and now Teddy. Dromeda will be out for a few days I think. Imperius for a long time and two stunners at close range, they got her as we came through the doors. As for me, I’ll get a once over later but I’m fine’.

‘What’s taking so long with Harry?’ She asked, resting her head on his shoulder and staring at the room he’d been taken into. A couple of times someone had gone in or come out but not in any particular hurry and no one had come and spoken to them.

‘Ah, well, we take memories of what happened, you know, in case they don’t survive. Not that he won’t but you know, standard precautions. Then they’ll give him an entire work up. It’s only been about twenty minutes. Give it a few more minutes and the junior aurors will be here, brimming over with excitement at getting to collect the statements you’ll be analysing tomorrow.’ 

As if on cue three pops sounded in the room. Hermione swore even those sounded full of energy as Billings, Jameson and Twillfit bounded in. Ron groaned quietly next to her. 

‘And they’re early. Great’. He swung his legs down from the table and sat up a bit straighter. 

‘Busy night Auror Weasley sir’ said Twillfit, approaching Ron with a big beaming smile as the other two split and went one into each room where the patients were.

‘And that’s something to be excited about is it? An Auror and a witness hospitalised? Tell me Twillfit, do you sit in your on call bunker praying for for someone to be grievously injured?’ Hermione snapped and the young lad looked appropriately contrite. A fifth year during the war, he’d been withdrawn from Hogwarts by his parents and sent to Salem. He hadn’t really fought or been affected by the war and had a thirst for what he perceived as danger. Hermione doubted he’d have lasted long in any war, as he was quick to hide when things got nasty and was developing a bit of a reputation within the department. All bluster and no substance. 

‘Sorry Ma’am. No. Just they were going out to pick up Malfoy and then Auror Potter nearly got Lestrange and Dolohov. We can prove Malfoy was planning a diversion for them and finally lock the bastard away, it’s obvious isn’t it, I mean the timing couldn’t have been more perfect’ He trilled, eyes bulging with excitement. Hermione has a flash of panic but she knocked it back down before anyone saw. 

‘And how did you reach that conclusion? Where is your evidence? Andromeda Tonks missed the wedding yesterday and as a family friend we decided to visit.  
Don’t you think if we thought it would turn into a raid we would’ve taken more people? If Malfoy is causing trouble then it’s purely because he’s a foul git and nothing more’. Ron reached down and squeezed Hermione’s hand and she smiled gratefully at him for answering. Twillfit was annoying on a good day. 

‘He punched Zacharias Smith’ Twillfit pouted. 

‘I bet Smith was on a holier than thou rant again. It’s not the first time he’s been punched in the Leaky and knowing Malfoy’s proclivity with a wand he’s lucky it was just a punch. I’d hate to see what would be left if he’d really decided to punish him. I’m guessing he’s been released already?’ Hermione snapped. 

‘I be-believe so ma’am, Nott was there as I left. Malfoy was a drunken mess’ Twilfit stuttered under Hermione’s intense glare, before opening the field evidence pack and changing subject. Hermione glanced down at the small leather rolled up pouch he’d just unwrapped. It contained four empty vials, some parchment and a quill, a shrunken Wizarding camera that was lightly smoking and rather ominously a pair of muggle latex gloves. He caught her looking and blushed. 

‘Me Auntie Mae’s a squib married to a muggle doctor. She thought they might be handy. Don’t have the heart to throw them away. They might be useful like’ he explained. 

‘Sh-shall we get on with this bit then?’ He said nervously, as Hermione and Ron nodded, everyone wanting it over with. 

 

Hermione woke from a delightful nap to find herself drooling on Ron’s shoulder unattractively. He awoke with a start at her movement, throwing her off. 

‘Oh, oh sorry’ he muttered groggily, righting her. ‘Think I was asleep too. It’s been a long night’ he sat up and yawned loudly, stretching tall. As he did his T-shirt rode up and Hermione couldn’t resist tickling his side gently. He jumped and grinned at her, pulling her into a hug and mulssed her hair until she swatted his hand away. 

‘Imp’ he smiled happily. ‘Come on. They must have finished with them now’ 

He glanced at the clock on the wall as a junior healer came over. It had just gone 11pm. Hermione recognised the small blonde girl as a Gryffindor a few years above them but she was still nervous as she approached. Hermione was used to it by now but it still irked her. 

‘I-I’m sorry, I didn’t want to wake you. Both Mr Potter and Mrs Tonks are sleeping. All is well. You can see them in the morning’ she said gently, turning away again quickly with a red flush to her face. Hermione stood and stretched. 

‘No use staying here. Come on, I’ll take you home’ Ron said gruffly, holding out a hand to Hermione. Gripping it tightly, she allowed herself to be led over to the fire to floo to the Ministry before heading home.


End file.
